A Guide to Spiders of Australia

Few animals rival spiders in their diversity of forms and colour, ecological abundance and importance, and complexity of behaviours. Spiders have inspired awe amongst arachnologists and naturalists and at the same time are feared by many. The Australian continent and its offshore islands and territories harbour an estimated diversity of some 8,500 species in 850 genera and 79 families; however, only about 3,500 species in about 650 genera are currently described. The smallest Australian spiders measure less than one millimetre long when fully grown and the largest easily exceed the spanof a large man's hand. Spiders are mostly terrestrial arthropods, but some specialists inhabit the intertidal zones of the Australian shores. The local fauna also includes peculiar subterranean representatives, including the enigmatic Tasmanian and Nullarbor Cave Spiders, in addition to tiny, pale and blind hunters in the underground voids, fissures and crevices of this ancient continent. A Guide to the Spiders of Australia is the first comprehensive guide to Australian spiders to cover all 79 families that occur in this country. Almost 400 colour photos of live spiders and about 50 images of their webs are complemented by 50 microscopic shots taken in the laboratory to illustrate the very smallest of spiders. A number of scientific drawings clarify particular features of spiders.

Paul Zborowski is a qualified entomologist with over 25 years experience of field based study of insects and related creatures in habitats all over the world's tropics. This practical knowledge is available on a consultancy basis to documentary film makers - providing a location search, subject behaviour & capture, and studio and field set design and building. Paul has worked with diverse film crews from the BBC Bristol Wildlife Unit, NHK TV and Tokyo TV of Japan, Discovery Channel of America, Wildvisuals and Quest of Australia, and produces reference, field guides and children’ s books.

Foreword 7 INTRODUCTION 8 Spiders are arachnids 9 Spider body 14 Spider silk 19 Spider reproduction and growth 31 Spider venom 41 Evolution and systematics of spiders 43 Naming of spiders 45 Spiders of Australia – peculiarities 49 How to identify spiders, how to use this book 50 MYGALOMORPHAE – TRAPDOOR SPIDERS 51 Hexathelidae – Funnel-web Spiders 54 Dipluridae – Curtain-web Spiders 59 Actinopodidae – Mouse Spiders 63 Ctenizidae – Cork-lid Trapdoor Spiders 68 Migidae – Tree Trapdoor Spiders 72 Idiopidae – True Trapdoor Spiders 75 Nemesiidae – Wishbone Trapdoor Spiders 82 Barychelidae – Brush-footed Trapdoor Spiders 87 Theraphosidae – Australian Tarantulas, Bird-eating Spiders, Whistling or Barking Spiders 91 ARANEOMORPHAE – MODERN SPIDERS 95 Austrochiloidea 98 Austrochilidae – Junction-web Weavers 99 Gradungulidae – Long-clawed Spiders 102 Haplogynae 105 Filistatidae – Crevice Weavers 107 Sicariidae – Recluse Spiders, Fiddle-back Spiders 110 Scytodidae – Spitting Spiders 112 Periegopidae – Relictual Spiders 115 Ochyroceratidae 117 Pholcidae – Daddy Long-legs Spiders 119 Tetrablemmidae – Armoured Spiders 123 Segestriidae – Tube-web Spiders 125 Dysderidae – Woodlouse Hunters 127 Oonopidae – Goblin Spiders 129 Orsolobidae – Six-eyed Ground Spiders 134 Entelegynae – Advanced Modern Spiders 137 Archaeidae – Assassin or Pelican Spiders 139 Stenochilidae 142 Araneidae – Orb-weaving Spiders 144 Nephilidae – Golden Orb-weavers, Hermit Spiders, Coin Spiders 180 Linyphiidae – Sheet-web Spiders, Money Spiders 186 Cyatholipidae 190 Tetragnathidae – Long-jawed Spiders 192 Mimetidae – Pirate Spiders 200 Holarchaeidae – Minute Long-jawed Spiders 202 Pararchaeidae – Tiny Thick-necked Spiders 204 Synotaxidae – Chickenwire-web Spiders 208 Malkaridae – Shield Spiders 210 Theridiosomatidae – Ray Orb-weaving Spiders 212 Mysmenidae – Minute Clasping-weavers 214 Anapidae – Ground Orb-weaving Spiders, Micro Gondwanan Spiders 217 Symphytognathidae – Dwarf Orb-weaving Spiders 223 Nesticidae – Scaffold-web Spiders 227 Theridiidae – Comb-footed spiders, Cob-web Spiders 229 Nicodamidae – Red-and-black Spiders 243 Deinopidae – Net-casting Spiders, Ogre-faced Spiders, Retarius Spider, Hump-backed Spiders 246 Uloboridae – Venomless Spiders, Feather-legged Spiders 250 Hersiliidae – Long-spinneret Bark Spiders, Two-tailed Spiders 253 Oecobiidae – Wall Spiders 258 Hahniidae – Comb-tailed Spiders, Dwarf Sheet Spiders 262 Dictynidae – Mesh-web Spiders 264 Sparassidae – Huntsman Spiders, Giant Crab Spiders 266 Desidae – Intertidal Spiders, House Spiders 276 Stiphidiidae – Platform Spiders, Cone-web Spiders, Sombrero Spiders, Labyrinth Spiders 284 Amphinectidae – Forest Hunters 289 Agelenidae – Funnel-web Weavers 291 Amaurobiidae – Hackled-mesh Weavers 292 Cycloctenidae – Scuttling Spiders 295 Zodariidae – Ant-eating Spiders 297 Lycosidae – Wolf Spiders 304 Pisauridae – Fishing Spiders, Nursery-web Spiders 319 Ctenidae – Tropical Wolf Spiders 325 Oxyopidae – Lynx Spiders 327 Miturgidae – False Wolf Spiders, Prowling Spiders 331 Zoridae – Spiny-leg Spiders, Wandering Ghosts 335 Thomisidae – Crab Spiders, Flower Spiders 339 Psechridae – Pseudo-Orbweaving Spiders, Lace-sheet Weaving Spider 353 Zoropsidae – False Wolf Spiders, False Huntsman Spiders 356 Tengellidae – False Water Spiders, Host Spiders 358 Anyphaenidae – Ghost Spiders, Phantom Spiders, Sea-shore Spiders 360 Clubionidae – Sac Spiders 362 Corinnidae – Swift Spiders, Ant-mimics 366 Liocranidae – Spiny-legged Sac Spiders 371 Selenopidae – Wall Crab Spiders 372 Salticidae – Jumping Spiders 376 Philodromidae – Running Crab Spiders 390 Gnaphosidae – Ground Spiders 393 Prodidomidae – Long-spinneret Ground Spiders 398 Lamponidae – White-tailed Spiders 400 Ammoxenidae – Termite Hunters 406 Gallieniellidae – Long-jawed Ground Spiders 408 Trochanteriidae – Scorpion Spiders 411 Cithaeronidae – Swift Ground Spiders 414 FUR