Australian Huntsman SpiderImage Index Huntsman and Ticks Delena cancerides Holconia immanis Isopeda brachyseta Isopedella inola Isopedella leai Neosparassus calligaster Neosparassus diana Neosparassus patellatus
The Australian Huntsman Spiders belong to the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae). There are more than a thousand Sparassidae species that are found in most warm temperate to tropical regions of the world, including Australasia. With approximately 1,363 species of huntsmen in Australia and more being discovered, they are found living across a variety of habitats. Whilst some species are common over wide areas, others are found in specific habitats including rainforests, cool sub-alpine, semi-arid and desert regions.
Huntsman Spiders can be found residing under the loose bark of trees, under rocks, in crevices, rock walls and on foliage. There are a number of social huntsman species (Delena cancerides) that can be observed sitting around, especially under the bark of dead trees, on the ground under rocks and other locations.
The Australian Huntsman spiders are one of those spiders that people like or are terrified of, especially when encountered in unexpected places, like dropping from the sun-screen visor of your car, or scurrying out from behind your curtains at home. It is almost like they have a preference for our houses, as well as giving us a fright in our cars.
The following Isopedella inola – Australian Huntsman Spider was photographed under the extended roof line over a car space in Alice Springs.
Of course it is not all fun and games for the Huntsman Spiders (nor any species of spider) when the Orange Spider Wasp (Cryptocheilus bicolor) is on the prowl… as was witness with the one-sided battle of the Desert Huntsman (Isopedella inola) being dragged off to the wasp nesting chamber in Palm Valley, Finke Gorge National Park.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Chelicerata
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae
- Infraorder: Araneomorphae
- Family: Sparassidae
there are approximately 88 genera, encompassing 1,363 species (with more species being discovered)
Footnote & References
- Huntsman Spiders, Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/huntsman-spiders/
- Huntsman Spiders, Minibeast Wildlife, https://www.minibeastwildlife.com.au/resources/huntsman-spiders/
- Huntsman Spiders Family Sparassidae, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/47867-Sparassidae
Australian Huntsman SpiderImage Index Huntsman and Ticks Delena cancerides Holconia immanis Isopeda brachyseta Isopedella inola Isopedella leai Neosparassus calligaster Neosparassus diana Neosparassus patellatus
SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Araneidae — Orb Weavers Arkys Australian Huntsman Spider Barking Spider Black House Spider Carepalxis sp Celaenia sp Crab Spiders Deinopidae — Net-casting Spiders Dolomedes sp Dolophones sp Flower Spiders Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus volans Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Thomisidae Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus) Wolf Spider