Giant Water Spider

Megadolomedes australianus

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Other Names: Gigantic Fishing Spider

Family: Pisauridae (Fishing spiders, including nursery web spiders and raft spiders). 17 known species in Australia, there are probably about three times that in total, including undiscovered species.

Size: Male body 10 mm, Female body 30 mm. Leg span up to 180 mm (18 cm).

Distribution:

Habitat: Found near creeks and ponds

References: Whyte and Anderson

About the Giant Water Spider

As their name implies, they are very good swimmers. They are one of Australia's largest spiders in terms of legspan. They are harmless to people.

Diet: Small fish, tadpoles and aquatic insects

Note that dead spiders usually fade in colour, so nearly all the spiders will look blacker or darker in colour in real life than they do in the photos of dead spiders from the museum.

Photo taken at Australian Museum, Sydney. High Resolution 2758 x 3299.

Photo taken at Australian Museum, Sydney. High Resolution 2710 x 4098.

Photo taken at Australian Museum, Sydney. High Resolution 1396 x 1011.

Photo by Peter Woodard. Giant Water Spider around 15 cm across, with egg sac. Under a sandstone overhang above Swaines Creek, Ferndale Park, Chatswood West, Sydney, Australia. High Resolution 1800 x 2542.

Recommended Reading

See Also

Australian Mammals
Australian Birds
Australian Reptiles
Australian Frogs
Australian Fish
Australian Wild Plant Foods

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