Spiders in Australia

There are an estimated 10,000 species of Australian spiders, with only 3600 identified and new species being discovered annually. For example, a new species of blue jumping spider was discovered in New South Wales in 2020.

 Australia is known for its highly venomous and deadly spiders, including the Sydney funnel-web spider and the redback spider. The venom from these spiders is quite potent and is dangerous to most humans. However, these species are not representative of all the spiders found in Australia, with no deaths caused by spider bites since 1979.

Common Spiders: Brown House Spider, Long Bodied Cellar Spider, Garden Wolf Spider

Biggest Spiders: Coastal whistling spider, Australian common whistling spider

Most Dangerous and Deadly Spiders: Sydney Funnel-web Spider, Redback Spider, Whitetailed Spider

Spiders in Australia

Most Venomous

Comb-Footed Spiders

Australian Funnel-web Spiders

  • Sydney Funnel-web Spider (Atrax robustus)
  • Lake Fenton Trapdoor Spider (Plesiothele fentoni)

House Spiders

Mouse Spiders

  • Eastern Mouse Spider (Missulena bradleyi)

Australian Tarantulas

  • Queensland Whistling Tarantula(Selenocosmia crassipes)
  • Australian Common Whistling Spider (Selenocosmia stirlingi)
  • Australian Featherleg Spider (Selenotypus plumipes)

Huntsman Spiders

  • Flat Huntsman Spider (Delena cancerides)
  • Sydney Huntsman Spider (Holconia immanis)
  • Lichen Huntsman Spider (Pandercetes gracilis)

Orb-weaver Spiders

Spiny Trapdoor Spiders

  • Adelaide Trapdoor Spider (Blakistonia aurea)
  • Shieldbacked Trapdoor Spider (Idiosoma nigrum)
  • Sydney Brown Trapdoor Spider (Misgolas rapax)
  • Tube Spider (Misgolas robertsi)

White‐Tailed Spiders

  • Whitetailed Spider (Lampona cylindrata)

Wolf Spiders

  • Garden Wolf Spider (Tasmanicosa godeffroyi)
  • Little Striped Wolf Spider (Venatrix furcillata)

Least Venomous

Crab Spiders

  • Milky Flower Spider (Zygometis xanthogaster)
  • Australian Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis)
  • Green Tree Ant Mimicking Spider (Amyciaea albomaculata)
  • Knobbly Crab Spider (Stephanopis altifrons)

Jumping Spiders

  • Bronze Aussie Jumper (Helpis minitabunda)
  • Northern Green Jumping Spider (Mopsus mormon)

Brush-Footed Trapdoor Spiders

  • Brush Footed Spider (Seqocrypta jakara)

Comb-Footed Spiders

  • Cupboard Spider (Steatoda grossa)
  • Silver Dewdrop Spider (Thwaitesia argentiopunctata)
  • Red-legged House Spider (Nesticodes rufipes)

Curtain-Web Spiders

  • Nullarbor Cave Trapdoor Spider (Troglodiplura lowryi)

Cellar Spiders

  • Long Bodied Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides)

Fishing Spiders

  • Giant Water Spider (Megadolomedes australianus)

Ground Spiders

  • Silvery Vagabond Spider (Anzacia gemmea)
  • Flattened Bark Spider (Hemicloea rogenhoferi)

House Spiders

Long-Jawed Spiders

Midget House Spiders

  • Wall Spider (Oecobius navus)

Net-Casting Spiders

  • Common Netcasting Spider (Deinopis subrufa)

Orb-weaver Spiders

  • Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsii)
  • St Andrew’s Cross Spider (Argiope keyserlingi)
  • Tear Drop Spider (Argiope protensa)
  • Banded Orb-Weaving Spider (Argiope trifasciata)
  • Christmas Jewel Spider (Austracantha minax)
  • Bird-Dropping Spider (Celaenia excavata)
  • Magnificent Spider (Ordgarius magnificus)
  • Enamelled Spider (Plebs bradleyi)
  • Two-Spined Spider (Poecilopachys australasia)

Platform Spiders

  • Sombrero Spider (Stiphidion facetum)

Sac Spiders 

  • Stout Sac Spider (Clubiona robusta)

Spitting Spiders

  • Common Spitting Spider (Scytodes thoracica)

Swift Spiders

  • Painted Swift Spider (Nyssus coloripes)

Large Clawed Spiders

  • Tasmanian Cave Spider (Hickmania troglodytes)

Two-Tailed Spiders

  • Brisbane Two Tailed Spiders (Tamopsis brisbanensis)

Hackled Orb-weaver Spiders

  • Humped Spider (Zosis geniculata)

Wishbone Spiders

  • Black Wishbone Spider (Aname diversicolor)
  • Melbourne Trapdoor Spider (Stanwellia grisea)

Woodlouse Hunter Spiders

Spiders in Australia (By Region)