Unknown Spider from Australia

bugman

June 27th, 2010 at 10:25 am

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aussietrev Master of Disguise
June 27, 2010
Hi guys,
I have to date been unable to get an ID for this spider which appears to be an Oxypid but is unlike any other. It has a raised ‘crown’ with the eyes set in and unlike other oxypids which like to hang around green foliage it prefers to hide on dead sticks where it camouflages very well. One shot is of its egg sac with the spider sitting close by, if you look carefully. The others shows the raised crown and eye pattern. If anyone has an ID I’d be happy to hear about it.
PS. Can’t believe photography teachers went on a holiday without a camera, have to give you a D- on that one.
aussietrev
Queensland. Australia

Unknown Spider

Hi Trevor,
We will post your photos and hope one of our readers can provide some answers. We agree that this might be a Lynx Spider in the family Oxyopidae. I made a choice to not take a camera so I could better relax after a very difficult semester.

Unknown Spider

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Comments 1

kkroeker wrote:
Hi Trevor: It does look like a Lynx Spider in the family Oxyopidae, but a somewhat atypical one. I am just playing a hunch here, but it looks quite similar to species in the genus Hamataliwa (http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/inverts/hama-gri.html; http://www.flickr.com/photos/8463947@N08/2614616418). There are apparently two species in Australia, both in Queensland and the Northern Territory, but I couldn’t find any representative photos online. You could check out a 1989 paper by Grimshaw (The Genus Hamataliwa Keyserling (Araneae: Oxyopidae) in Australia with Descriptions of Two New Species; downloadable at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119444195/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0) that provides good descriptions and life history information. I couldn’t see all of the distinguishing features described in the text and figures, but if this is the correct genus then I believe your species might be H. cooki. Regards. K ps It looks very similar to a spider I photographed in Costa Rica this past winter that I haven’t attempted to identify yet. This may give me a lead – thanks.
Posted 27 Jun 2010 at 12:37 pm ¶