A Field Guide to of Robert Whyte, Greg Anderson

The most comprehensive account of Australian spiders ever published. Australians have a love–hate relationship with spiders. Some spiders, such as the Redback and the Sydney Funnelweb, inspire fear. Yet Peacock Spiders, with their colourful fan-spreading courtship dances, have won rapturous appreciation worldwide. A Field Guide to uses photographs of living to help people identify many of the spiders they encounter. Featuring over 1300 colour photographs, it is June 2017 the most comprehensive account of Australian spiders ever 464 pages, Paperback published. With more than two-thirds of Australian spiders yet to be scientifically described, this book sets the scene for future ISBN: 9780643107076 explorations of our extraordinary Australian fauna. $49.95 This field guide will be enjoyed by naturalists and anyone with an www.publish.csiro.au/book/6899 interest in learning more about Australia's incredible . Available as an eBook upon publication

BIOGEOGRAPHY SALTICIDAE JUMPING SPIDERS

How to use this book Where did they come from and how did they get here? After an initial skim through, it’s likely most specimen was found and in what type of Araneomorphs have evolved a variety of to catch prey. The advantage of living in Biogeography is a hot topic in studies The trouble with these questions, when people will take this book off the shelf when habitat, one or two significant facts and the silks for different purposes, including a type vegetation is significant, considering the these days, as it is for many areas of biology and applying them to tropical Australia, is that we they have a spider they want to identify. approximate maximum size of females and of strong silk they can anchor as a safety number of insects and other invertebrates evolution. don’t yet know how many spiders we have or After a while, you know which males. line, letting them move safely above the also living in this habitat. How many Australian spiders are shared what they are. part of the book to go to, whether it be to In many cases spiders encountered in ground. Dragline and other special silks Araneomorphs represent more than 90 with nearby countries? How many are It seems every time a major survey is done in identify a mostly ground-dwelling mygalo- the main sections of this book will be fairly can be combined to create complex webs per cent of all spider species. They have endemic (found nowhere else)? How many unexplored tropical or arid Australia we come have travelled to other countries and become up with more unknowns than knowns. This is morph spider or a daytime hunter on easy to find, commonly noticed, reason- to catch flying prey. Mygalomorphs don’t found many ways to catch prey, utilising a naturalised there? How different are seemingly an exaggeration, but that’s how it feels. foliage. The pages of your favourite groups ably large and often attractive. There is a have this variety of silks; they are vulnerable variety of web architectures, or hunting by similar species in different countries? Are they It is going to take a long time to know what might become dog-eared, tea-stained or separate section for spiders in little-known if they climb above the ground and limited ambush, or by chasing their prey, out-run- close relatives or are they cases of convergent we have and how many species are shared with coffee-splattered. If so the book is proving families which might be hard to find, to simple filmy webs or triplines near their ning them, or by jumping great distances. evolution when different lineages arrive at the our neighbours. On the bright side, we see new its worth. remote, rare or extremely small. burrows. Silk safety lines prevent them falling out same successful adaptations? discoveries every day. The information with each photograph Some araneomorphs live on the ground, of the hunting zone. If they miss the target will tell you where in Australia the spider but many live in grasses, shrubs and trees they can speed back up the line and try Gasteracantha metallica Metallic Spiny Orb-weaver ♀ Solomon Islands photo: arthur anker. Tropical species from nearby places (like this stunner) may well appear on our northern coastlines. where they create webs or hunt freely again.

Maratus mungaich Banksia Peacock Spider mating pair near Perth WA photo: jürgen otto. This Peacock Spider, described in 1995, was the first of what has come to be known as the Mungaich group, with many species from south-west WA. Mungaich is a Nyoongar word for Banksia. The male's courtship display is similar to that of the male madelineae. ♀ 5.5 mm ♂ 5 mm

Nephila edulis Golden Orb-weaver mating pair, Perth WA photo: jean and fred hort. The spiders are supported on a strong silk line, made from one of several kinds of silk made by araneomorphs. This variety of silks is one ocyaloides Bark-hugging St Andrew’s Cross sp. juv Henbury Station NT Maratus pardus Leopard-spotted Peacock Spider Maratus pavonis Peacock Spider ♂ Stanley TAS photo: characteristic setting araneomorphs apart from the mygalomorphs. 35 mm 7 mm Spider ♀ Collinsville QLD photo: ed nieuwenhuys. photo: robert whyte. This species cannot be identified ♀ ♂ ♂ Cape Le Grand WA photo: jürgen otto. In 1994 David jürgen otto. Described by Dunn in 1947, this species This is a spider in the family Araneidae, subfamily with certainty because it is juvenile. Only adults have Knowles discovered this species on sandy rises with is extremely widespread, known across southern Opposite cornutus Horned Arkys Strathpine QLD photo: greg anderson. While this species is a classic Argiopinae, known for its interesting web patterns. all the features necessary for confident identification. ♀ sparse swamp heath and sedges. It was described in Australia from NSW to WA including TAS. Pavonis araneomorph, it has given up making web snares and instead has become a sit-and-wait ambush hunter. ♀ 14 mm ♂ 4 mm 2014. ♀ 5.5 mm ♂ 5 mm means Peacock. ♀ 5.5 mm ♂ 5 mm ♀ 8 mm ♂ 7 mm 9 47 113 266

Spiderbook_V78.indd 9 23/2/17 10:15 am Spiderbook_V78.indd 47 23/2/17 10:19 am Spiderbook_V78.indd 113 23/2/17 10:25 am Spiderbook_V78.indd 266 23/2/17 10:43 am CONTENTS FEATURES Foreword • Covering all known Australian spider families and heavily illustrated with over 1300 colour photographs Preface • Stunning macro-photography reveals the fascinating Acknowledgements minute details not discernible to the naked eye Introduction • Highly accurate and vetted by experts, it contains the From to arachnophilia most up-to-date information How to use this book Determining species – everything helps, including genitals ABOUT THE AUTHORS Australia’s rich arachnological history Robert Whyte is an honorary researcher in at the Queensland Museum, having developed an interest in Parts of a spider: the need-to-know terms spiders with the encouragement of arachnologist Robert Shortcuts to identification Raven. He has participated in five Bush Blitz biodiscovery expeditions in remote parts of Western Australia, Spider families from A to Z the Northern Territory and Queensland. He is an accomplished editor, author, journalist and photographer. Araneomorphae Greg Anderson is a biomedical research scientist and heads the Chronic Disorders Program at the QIMR Little-known Spider Families Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane. He has been interested in spiders since his early life in Newcastle Glossary and has travelled extensively around Australia and other parts of the world studying and photographing spiders. Photo credits Readings Index ALSO AVAILABLE Spiders: family tree Index of family common names

For corporate or bulk sales, please contact: [email protected]

ORDER FORM

QTY TITLE PRICE $ q My cheque/money order payable to CSIRO Publishing is enclosed A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia 49.95 Or, charge my: q Mastercard q Visa q Diners q AMEX Name on card: ______Subtotal Card no. Prices are in Australian dollars and are subject to Postage $ 9.00 change without notice. Direct sales only.

TOTAL $ Expiry Date: __/ __ CVV: ___ Cienpies © iStock Original Image Signature: ______Name

Address When complete, please return to:

CSIRO Publishing Local call in Australia: 1300 788 000 Locked Bag 10 Phone: +[61 3] 9545 8400 Postcode Clayton South VIC 3169 Fax: +[61 3] 9545 8550 Australia Email: [email protected] Tel Fax ♂ Barron Gorge QLD Email sp. This brochure is printed on paper with fibres sourced from certified, responsibly managed forests. Privacy Notice: When you place an order we will record your details as required to complete your delivery. Your personal information will be treated as confidential. If we publish something similar that we think will be of interest to you, we will send you information on those related products. You can request to be taken off our mailing list at any time. For more information visit the Legal & Privacy page on our website. Banner Image © 17 ABN: Robert Whyte APR 41 687 119 230 Undescribed