Dolomedes spDolomedes facetus (Elegant Water Spider)

The genus Dolomedes are a group of large spiders in the family Pisauridae. Whilst the World Spider Catalog have listed 101 species (November 2021), Atlas of Living Australia has listed 17 recognised species (at time of writing) in Australia.

Pictured here is thought to be Dolomedes facetus.

Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick

These spiders are commonly known as Fishing Spider, with other common names applied for overseas species of the genus Dolomedes, including Raft Spider, Dock Spider or Wharf Spider.

Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick

The majority of Dolomedes species are semi-aquatic, moving freely across the surface of water. They are often seen resting on the water edge, with their legs touching the water surface. It is believed that they detect approaching prey by the ripples through the water. They are also known to go under the water to catch small fish, tadpoles and aquatic insects.

Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Chelicerata
  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Infraorder: Araneomorphae
  • Family: Pisauridae
  • Genus: Dolomedes
  • Species:
    • Dolomedes albicomus L. Koch, 1867
    • Dolomedes alexandri Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes aquaticus Goyen, 1888
    • Dolomedes briangreenei Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes dondalei Vink & Duperre, 2010
    • Dolomedes facetus L. Koch, 1876
    • Dolomedes flaminius L. Koch, 1867
    • Dolomedes instabilis L. Koch, 1876
    • Dolomedes karijini Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes lizturnerae Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes mankorlod Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes minor L. Koch, 1876
    • Dolomedes pedder Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes schauinslandi Simon, 1899
    • Dolomedes venmani Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes vicque Raven & Hebron, 2018
    • Dolomedes wollemi Raven & Hebron, 2018
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp), Townsville QLD © Gayle Schick

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs © Gayle Schick
  2. Many thanks for ID to Vidar Tysvaer, member of Australian spider identification page, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/australianspidereducation/
  3. Dolomedes Latreille, 1804, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/258f5f5c-fc24-405e-aa01-df58d6f31ee8#gallery
  4. Dolomedes, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolomedes (last visited Jan. 13, 2023).

Dolomedes spDolomedes facetus (Elegant Water Spider)

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 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)