Australian Huntsman SpiderImage Index Calligaster Group of Spiders Huntsman and Ticks Delena cancerides Holconia immanis Isopeda brachyseta Isopedella inola Isopedella leai Neosparassus calligaster Neosparassus diana Neosparassus patellatus Pediana regina

The Calligaster Group of Spiders is a general phrase that we are using to describe a collection of spiders (both recognised and unname species), and refers mainly to the commonly named group of “Badge Huntsman” spiders eg Neosparassus calligaster.

calligaster meaning “beautiful stomach”, because of the pattern on their underbelly”…

Beautiful Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus calligaster), Alice Springs NT
Beautiful Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus calligaster), Alice Springs NT

Badge huntsman is the common name for any species from the genus Neosparassus, this genus is understudied but is likely Australia’s most diverse huntsman genus with over 80-90 unnamed species, one of the known “species” is N. calligaster (calligaster meaning “beautiful stomach” because of the pattern on their underbelly”) isn’t actually one species but is a huge number of similar unnamed species, makes it easier to refer to them as a group since there’s so many…

Source: Eathan Douglas, Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”
Neosparassus sp (paralysed prey of Cryptocheilus bicolor), Alice Springs NT
Neosparassus sp (paralysed prey of Cryptocheilus bicolor), Alice Springs NT
Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus diana), Bermagui State Forest NSW © Deb Taylor
Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus diana), Bermagui State Forest NSW © Deb Taylor
Beautiful Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus calligaster), Cotter River ACT © Tony Eales
Beautiful Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus calligaster), Cotter River ACT © Tony Eales
Badge Huntsman Spider (from the "calligaster group"), Alice Springs NT
Badge Huntsman Spider (from the “calligaster group”), Alice Springs NT
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Chelicerata
  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Suborder: Araneomorphae
  • Family: Sparassidae

    there are approximately 88 genera, encompassing 1,363 species (with more species being discovered)

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks to Eathan Douglas, member of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277/
  2. Huntsman Spiders, Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/huntsman-spiders/
  3. Huntsman Spiders, Minibeast Wildlife, https://www.minibeastwildlife.com.au/resources/huntsman-spiders/
  4. Huntsman Spiders Family Sparassidae, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/47867-Sparassidae

Australian Huntsman SpiderImage Index Calligaster Group of Spiders Huntsman and Ticks Delena cancerides Holconia immanis Isopeda brachyseta Isopedella inola Isopedella leai Neosparassus calligaster Neosparassus diana Neosparassus patellatus Pediana regina

SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Spiders Index 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 Euryopis umbilicate (Superb Ant-eater Spider) Flower Spiders Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Herennia sp Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Mopsus mormon Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Nyssus coloripes (Orange-legged Swift Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Thomisidae Wolf Spider Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus)