ARANEIDAE Orb weavers

Arachnura higginsi
This spider builds a vertical but not fully circular orb web, the upper two sectors left incomplete. The female produces a long string of egg-sacs at the top of the web. The male is very much smaller, tailless and hard to find. A very common spider, but not often noticed.  

Araneus acuminatus (L. Koch, 1872) Pointy Araneus
A small orb weaver (body length about 4mm), found in the web in the daytime. The legs when extended have dark colours, making it appear a lot scarier than when it is hunched up in camouflage mode. 

Araneus albida? A. dimidiatus?
This spider was not a live spider. It was in the foliage of a Psychotria daphnoides.  

Araneus albotriangulus (Keyserling, 1887) White-winged Araneus
Previously known as Araneus parvulus and before that Eriophora parvulus, this is a small spider, female body length 4mm, males about 2mm. It constructs a loose tangled web in shrubs, in this case Carissa ovata (Currant Bush) and often there is an unconcealed hairy/fluffy egg sac nearby. It is recognizable by the yellow wings on the upper front surface of the abdomen. Known from Queensland and... 

Araneus arenaceus
Dr Volker Framenau wrote after seeing some of these photos: "These seem to be 'Araneus' arenaceus or allied, there are about five of so very similar species out there and the type material of A. arenaceus in the Hamburg University Museum (as far as I can remember) actually contains at least two species. And of course, these are not Araneus, but a new undescribed genus. Male A. arenaceus are... 

Araneus arenaceus?
This was a small Araneid body length about 2-3mm with some similarities to A. acuminatus (wavy scalloped sides of abdomen) and A. arenaceus Shape and markings on abdomen), also perhaps to A. eburnus and Eriophora sp. Probably not possible to determine without adults of both genders. Collected in a... 

Araneus collinus
Specimen body length 7mm obtained on Wednesday, 3 June 2009 at 7am shaken from shrubs at the western bank of Fish creek near the Junction of Fish and Enoggera Creeks. Shrubs included Pipturus argenteus, Alectryon tomentosa and Psychotria daphnoides. The spider was probably in its daytime retreat. Weather showery, about 18C. This species builds an orb web in shrubs along water courses to capture... 

Araneus cyrtarachnoides (Keyserling, 1887)
A small Arkys-like, Cyrtarachne-like spider quite common in Queensland. Body length up to 5mm. It is an intermediate step between the web-weaving Araneids and the ambush/ camouflage hunters. It retains a very Araneus like cephalothorax but has also begun to develop the sclerotized body like Arkys... 

Araneus dimidiatus (Leaf Curling Araneus)
A common spider in coastal bushland. It hides in a curled leaf with the tips of its legs showing, similar to Phonognatha graeffei. Araneus dimidiatus... 

'Araneus' eburnus (Keyserling 1886 sensu Davies 1988) Bush Orb Weaver
A very common small spider with colourful markings. It is found in dry scrub. The females are variable in size females ranging from 4mm to 8mm) The male is smaller with quite different looking legs and general way of resting. The female builds a vertical orb web, and stays there day and night. The... 

Araneus hamiltoni (Hamilton's Orb Weaver)
A spider with strong similarities to Eriophora transmarina and other related Araneids, being medium-large with a wavy pattern on the back. The two ventral spots on the abdomen are like those of many other Araneus including A. rotundulus. Female to 8mm body length the male to 5mm. The abdominal pattern is very variable. Builds an orb web in low vegetation, by day usually hides nearby in a daytime... 

Araneus juvenile (with wings and aerofoil) cf arenaceus
This small spider, body length 2mm, collected in Walton Bridge Reserve may be closer to adult than its size and hairiness suggests. The pointy, flared, anterior dorsal peaks on the abdomen look like wings and it also has a shape on the rear end of the abdomen somewhat like an aerofoil. This specimen looks like a female. The pointy wings suggest it is related to Araneus arenaceus.  

Araneus or Eriophora species Green Araneid cf Eriophora biapicata
A medium-sized, bright-green Araneid collected on Obi Obi Creek near Kenilworth, Queensland. This could be a colour variation of Eriophora biapicata or one of its closely allied species. Body length of this female about 5mm. Somewhat more triangular than Araneus eburnus and less triangular and peaked than Araneus arenaceus. There are many spiders like this that may belong to described species or may be variations within a known species. Only close examination of the... 

Araneus poltyoides Crysanthus, 1971 Long-scaped Araneus, Poltys-like Araneus
This spider is common throughout Australia, particularly in Queensland and the northern half of New South Wales, similar to the slightly smaller... 

Araneus praesignis
This pretty spider builds a small orb web in green shrubs at night, during the day hides in a retreat formed by binding a curved green leaf with silk. The adult female is about 8 mm, male: about 6 mm. This one in the first two photos (6mm) is probably a juvenile. The third photo is an adult... 

Araneus psittacinus (Blue Bush Orb Weaver)
Araneus psittacinus is a small orb weaver found in Brisbane, body length for the female up to 5mm. It has a bright blue or green abdomen and a white streak across the front of the abdomen, fringed with reddish brown. The underneath is brown and green, a good camouflage in foliage. The blue colour... 

Araneus rotundulus (Yellow Spotted Orb Weaver)
Araneus rotundulus is an orb weaver species found in Brisbane. It is small, to about 3mm, dark brown to black, with dots and other markings on the upper surface of the abdomen, and two prominent yellow dots on the undersurface of the abdomen. When the spider is disturbed, it drops on a silk,... 

'Araneus' sp cf brisbanensis (QM) and VWF911 (Volker Framenau)
A small orb weaver with a dark band on the leading edge of the abdomen and two large dark spots on the rear sides of the abdomen, otherwise creamy... 

Araneus species cf Araneus dimidiatus and Araneus mulierarius Live Leaf-curling Araneid
This is a new species in a yet to be established genus to which Araneus dimidiatus and Araneus mulierarius belong. All species are leaf-curlers. This species doesn't differ by the black patch at the back (which is very varialble in all species), but by the pattern of the shoulder in the abdomen. One of the frew groups of orb-weavers in which identification is easier by external... 

'Araneus' transversus Rainbow, 1912 Not-quite-happy-face Orbweaver
Small orbweaver, female body length 4-6mm, in rainforest in South East Queensland, Sunshine Coast hinterland and perhaps elsewhere in moist, sub-tropical to tropical coastal habitats. The cephalothorax is green with yellow around the eye region, somewhat like Araneus praesignus to which it... 

Argiope keyserlingi Karsch, 1878 St Andrews Cross
A common medium-to-large orb weaver found in eastern Australia in rainforest margins, open forest, heathland, houses and gardens. Zig-zag ribbons of bluish-white silk form a full or partial cross (stabilimentum) through the centre of the orb web. This cross gives the spider Its common name. Males... 

Argiope ocyaloides
Female Argiope ocyaloides get to about 8 mm in body length, the male perhaps 4 mm. They have a characteristic web, with a rounded stabilimentum... 

Argiope protensa Long-tailed Argiope
Usually found in a small and rather fragile circular web strung betwen stalks of tall grass or small shrubs. Often has a visible stabilimentum, but not X shaped like St Andrew's Cross, and sometimes absent. The egg sac resembles a small cup with a lid, as is true for Argiope extensa. 

Argiope sp.
This male, body length about 7mm, may be A. keysleringi, the males of which have quite varying shapes at different stages, but also could be another... 

Arkys alatus Keyserling 1890 Winged Arkys
A small Araneid that has given up its web snare to ambush hunt. The female about 4mm. Rather flattish spider with grey or brown ornate structures. The name alataus means winged.  

Arkys cornutus L. Koch, 1872 Horned Triangular Spider
This is an ambush hunter, active on foliage at night, an orb weaver that has abandoned its web for wait-and-pounce style hunting. Females to 9mm in... 

Arkys curtulus (Small Bird Dropping Spider)
Female Arkys curtulus spiders are about 8 mm in diameter, the males being around 5mm. They rest during the day on the exposed surfaces of green leaves, with legs drawn up, resembling a bird dropping, waiting to ambush prey. This spider is very hard to spot "as a spider" because its camouflage is... 

Arkys lancearius Walckenaer, 1837 Common Triangular Spider
A beautiful ambush-hunting Araneid, female to 8mm, males to 5mm found on the leaves of green shrubs throughout Australia including Tasmania, possibly... 

Arkys sp White Archemorus
This little white Arkys is an ambush hunter on green foliage. It has some of the characteristic Arkys features including the weird shape and the... 

Arkys sp (previously Archemorus)
A pretty Arkys species recorded by Mascord 1980 as Archemorus species. While an orb weaver like other Arkys seems to be an ambush hunter, disguised... 

Arkys sp?
A very small spider, confusing to identify. It could be a juvenile Arkys. Body length less than 1mm.  

Arkys species Arkys Mt Glorious
A medium sized Araneid that has become an ambush predator. Female body length about 6mm. Well camouflaged for the rainforest. Observed on the Western Walk at Mount Glorious. The abdomen is heavily sclerotised and with dimples reminiscent of Dolophones species.  

Arkys species Stub-tailed Archemorus
A small Arkys, probably undescribed, with protective and defensive spines on the front legs forming a cage around the cephalothorax. The male when adult to a body length of about 5mm.  

Austracantha minax (Jewel Spider)
This species occurs throughout most of Australia in shrubby woodlands. Females 7 mm males 4 mm. Builds a small circular web between shrubs,... 

Carepalxis sp.
Carepalxis are not often collected or observed, as they are secretive spiders, hiding by day. They are active at night, making small orb webs. This... 

Celaenia calotoides Rainbow, 1908
This article follows the progress, in captivity, of a female of Celaenia calotoides. The spider was kept alive in a "vivarium" after being taken from... 

Celaenia excavata L. Koch, 1867 Bird Dropping Spider
This spider resembles a bird dropping, a protective camouflage during the day. It is one of the larger bird-dropping spiders with the females growing... 

'Cyclosa' fuliginata (Koch 1872) Sooty Orb Weaver
This common orb-weaving species, transferred to Cyclosa by Dondale in 1966, is not really a Cyclosa. It belongs to a new genus yet to be... 

Cyclosa insulana (Costa, 1834)
Cyclosa is very diverse in Australia with at least 10 species, currently under revision. At this stage it is not possible to reliably identify Australian Cyclosa to species, with the exception of a few such as C. trilobata, C. bacilliformis, and C. bifida. C. trilobata is a temperate spider first... 

Cyclosa sp
This small spider about 2mm long) was in a small roughly vertical web with no stabilimentum. The body shape also looks like that of Cyclosa.  

Cyclosa sp Small silvery male
Possibly C. insulana or a relative this Cyclosa was about 2mm long and one stage off being adult. The palps are large but not defined with mature... 

Cyrtophora exanthematica (Double Tailed Tent Spider)
An orb weaver that builds a complex web strung between the branches of shrubs. Colour can vary considerably. The two blunt projections at the posterior end of the abdomen give this spider its common name. The female guards her egg sac. Many smaller spiders often occupy the web's periphery. A lot... 

Cyrtophora hirta (Russian Tent Spider)
This spider is usually recognised by its cone-shaped tent web. It can be found in dry sclerophyl forests, often with large numbers of individual webs... 

Cyrtophora moluccensis (Tent Spider)
The colourful abdominal markings of this spider make it reasonably easy to regognize. Although it technically belongs to the orb-web spiders (family Araneidae), Cyrtophora moluccensis does not build an orb web. Their tent-like, highly complex non-sticky web is sometimes considered a precursor of... 

Cyrtophora parnasia L. Koch, 1872 Small Russian Tent Spider
A small orb weaver widespread in mostly dry forest and scrub in coastal areas. Very similar to Cyrtophora hirta the Russian Tent Spider perhaps with... 

Deliochus pulcher melanius?
The adult and the juvenile below may well be Deliochus and quite possibly the same species. The adult was seen in scrub in Melbourne Botanical... 

Deliochus pulcher?
This spider was in a live leaf retreat about 1.5m up shrubs on the northern side of the junction of Fish and Enoggera Creeks, The Gap, Brisbane. This... 

Deliochus zelivira
D. zelivira appears to have been moved to Tetragnathidae then back to Araneidae. The female can grow to 11 mm, the male 5 mm. They construct a retreat of eucalypt leaves. This male was wandering loose in the garden, hanging by a thread of silk.  

Dolophones conifera (Wrap-around Spider)
Wrap-around Spider is so named for its habit of wrapping itself around a twig or flattening itself against bark. The upper surface of the abdomen resembles a cone shaped shield. It is composed mostly of a series of circular discs each with a small slit in the centre. The lower surface of the... 

Dolophones macleayi (Bradley, 1876)
Dolophones macleayi was first named Tholia macleayi by Bradley, H.B. in 1876, pubished in "The araneids of the Chevert Expedition. Part I. 

Dolophones sp
A Dolophones male, rather large, being about 10, maybe 12mm body length. It was observed combing out silk with its fourth pair of legs. Thanks to Dr Robert Raven for confirmation of the genus.  

Dolophones sp juvenile
Dolophones sp body length 1-2mm collected 10am on bank of ephemeral creek behind SOWN nursery on Saturday 6 June 2009. Weather clear and sunny. 

Dolophones turrigera (Turreted Wrap-around Spider)
This spider is another wrap-around Araneid in the day, making a web at night. The female when adult is around 8 mm, the male being smaller, usually... 

Eriophora sp (Small Orb Weaver)
This small Eriophora may well be a young E. transmarina, a very common spider in gardens. It has, however, slightly wider apart eyes and something about its general appearance and way of walking suggests it may be its own species.  

Eriophora transmarina (Keyserling, 1865) Garden Orb Weaver)
One of many very similar garden orb weavers in Australia, currently being revised. Its range includes Australia, New Guinea and Samoa. It is a large spider with the very largest females up to 30mm, but most usually around 20-25mm. The males also can be quite large. The body is very variable in colour and patterning, being grey, brown, orange, red, black, with usually white patterns including... 

Eriophora? species
A large Araneid, males to 9mm, females possibly larger. The spine on the tibia of leg two and general appearance is similar to Novakiella species. The lack of the dotted colouration of the legs and the presence of complicated sclerites on the underside of the male palps indicate it is not... 

Gea theridioides (L. Koch, 1872) An Orb Weaver
This species has been found to have DNA no different to that of Argiope species and may get a name change (unpublished study, pers. comm. Framenau... 

Novakiella trituberculosa Common Novakiella
This rather gentle and timid spider, males to 6mm, females possibly larger, is common in most habitats throughout Australia and New Zealand, but not commonly collected. The spine on the tibia of leg two and the dotted colouration of the legs give the male of the species away, otherwise it... 

Paraplectanoides crassipes?
This small male is probably not mature, as the palps would have finer structuring, and could be a male of Celaenia, but possibly Paraplectanoides... 

Phonognatha graeffei Leaf Curling Spider
Recently in the Tetragnathidae, this spider has been moved back into the Araneidae by Kuntner et al 2008 (reported in Platnick 9.5). This spider is... 

Poecilopachys australasia (Griffith & Pigeon, 1833) Two Spined Spider
Two Spined Spider is one of Australia's most attractive and most photographed spiders. It was first described as Epeira australasica by Griffith & Pigeon in 1833. After many other synonyms it was revised as P. bispinosa by Simon in 1895. Godwin changed it to P. australasia in 1961 but not from the... 

Poltys noblei A Poltys
Poltys noblei is one of the Poltys in the P. laciniosus group revised by Helen Smith at the Australian museum.  

Poltys sp. (Twig Spider)
This spider, probably Poltys laciniosus, has excellent camouflage when resting on bark surfaces because of the way it draws its legs up tightly against the carapace, the shape of its body, and the colouration. The eyes are on a short stalk. Thanks to Helen M. Smith author of revision of the...