Australian Huntsman SpiderHuntsman and Ticks Delena cancerides Holconia immanis Isopeda brachyseta Isopedella inola Isopedella leai Neosparassus calligaster Neosparassus diana Neosparassus patellatus

Ticks and mites can sometimes be found feeding on other insects and spiders. Like the Australian Huntsman Spider pictured here, ticks also belong to the class Arachnida.

Belonging to the Delena sp, the mature male Huntsman Spider shown here is covered with what is thought to be the Short-legged Ticks (subclass Acari, family Tenuipalpidae, genus Brevipalpus), photographed at Wilsons Promontory in Victoria.

Delena sp. covered with Short-legged Ticks (subclass Acari, genus Brevipalpus), Wilsons Promontory VIC © Peter Crowcroft
Mature male Delena sp. covered with Short-legged Ticks (subclass Acari, family Tenuipalpidae, genus Brevipalpus), Wilsons Promontory VIC © Peter Crowcroft

Under normal circumstances, a spider may only get a couple of ticks, that once feasted, will usually drop off. The mature male Delena sp pictured here is thought to be near the end of life stage.

Delena sp. covered with Short-legged Ticks (subclass Acari, genus Brevipalpus), Wilsons Promontory VIC © Peter Crowcroft
Delena sp. covered with Short-legged Ticks (subclass Acari, genus Brevipalpus), Wilsons Promontory VIC © Peter Crowcroft
Delena sp. covered with Short-legged Ticks (subclass Acari, genus Brevipalpus), Wilsons Promontory VIC © Peter Crowcroft
Delena sp. covered with Short-legged Ticks (subclass Acari, genus Brevipalpus), Wilsons Promontory VIC © Peter Crowcroft

Photographs, Wilsons Promontory VIC © Peter Crowcroft

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Chelicerata
  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Suborder: Araneomorphae
  • Infraorder: Entelegynae
  • Superfamily: Sparassoidea
  • Family: Sparassidae
  • Subfamily: Deleninae
  • Genus: Delena

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Chelicerata
  • Class: Arachnida
  • Subclass: Acari
  • Superorder: Acariformes
  • Order: Trombidiformes
  • Suborder: Prostigmata
  • Infraorder: Raphignathae
  • Superfamily: Tetranychoidea
  • Family: Tenuipalpidae
  • Genus: Brevipalpus

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs © Peter Crowcroft
  2. Many thanks for ID to members of Australian Huntsman Spiders, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/653510652232424/
  3. Genus Delena, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/376158-Delena
  4. Genus Brevipalpus, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/249776-Brevipalpus
  5. Research source for similar tick mite, Steve & lison1, Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/72842252@N04/49400846561/in/pool-flyz/
  6. Research source for similar tick mite, Mites and Ticks (Acarina), Canberra Nature Map, https://canberra.naturemapr.org/categories/guide/308?1=1&conservationLevelId=1

Australian Huntsman SpiderHuntsman 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