One for the entomologists amongst you

[Oneputt]

Came across this odd looking spider repairing its web. What the hell is it???

[bago100]

Oneputt

Using the excellent reference text, "Wildlife of Greater Brisbane" if one skips past the Fortitude Valley nightlife chapter , one finds that your spider photograph is probably a photo of Poecilopachys australasiae

The common name for this spider is 'Two-spined Spider' apparently.

The text says, full size about a 20c piece size, yellow, brown and white body with two spines which form 'eyes'.

Web is circular built at night.

Bite causes mild local pain.

Excellent photo by the way!

Cheers

Graham

[katie]

It's not a variety of orb spider is it...? (lol I have dozens of those setting up home in my garden every summer just waiting for me to walk right into them, but I haven't met the one in your shot yet, I must admit...)

I had a look in my usual spidey reference guides, but as I live in Vic in the Dandenong Ranges, my info is generally focussed around local bugs & biters, and my knowledge is amature, at best... but at a glance, I did think it was possibly a two-spined spider... or at a stretch, a flower spider... both local to Northern Australia, from memory...

hmmm... someone with real knowledge can probably correct me on that...!

A wonderful shot! What a colour he is!!

katie

[shakey]

two legs too many for an entomologist...call your local arachnologist

still there are all creepy crawly things

[Oneputt]

Thanks Graham that sounds about right. This one would have been a little less than a centimetre between the spikes. Thankyou.

[SteveGriffin]

Gosh it is definately bug season on the sunshine coast. Nice capture

[blacknstormy]

Sorry to do this guys, but I'm pretty sure it's not the 2 spined spider
go to this link http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_weave ... Spider.htm and you'll see what I mean....
but in saying that, I'm not sure exactly what it is either...
not much help am I? If the spider is still there, can you get a shot from directly above, and also from the front (you took an ass shot - always thought you were an ass man )

Rel

[Oneputt]

Jeepers Rel Actually the spider was in a most awkward place and I shot it upside down and then rotated the image. I had no idea that was its ass!!

[Manta]

..but in saying that, I'm not sure exactly what it is either...not much help am I?

Take me now, Lord. I've heard it all. I'm ready.

[Manta]

Jeepers Rel Actually the spider was in a most awkward place and I shot it upside down and then rotated the image. I had no idea that was its ass!!

Easy mistake to make John. If it's got two spines, chances are it's got two arses as well. Can't blame you for mixing them up.

I don't think I'm helping....

[blacknstormy]

NOTE TO ADMINISTRATORS - we need an emoticon that has it's tongue sticking out please

[Slider]

[radar]

Rel,

what's wrong with:

:r or :p

the good old ascii emoticons

André

[psionic]

Ok... I have it on very good authority that this spider is a member of the same genus as our little colonial Christmas spiders Gasteracantha minax found in South Australia. The one in the photo is a tropical Spiny, Gasteracantha fornicata.

"It has the honour of being the first spider species recorded in Australia, when Joseph Banks noticed one near where Cooktown is now, when the Endeavour was beached for repair "

I'm no expert on these things as I normally hate spiders, but it's certainly handy having experts in the family My mother-in-law is great when it comes to identifying these critters and remembering all this cool information about them, now we have the whole story.

Hope that helps...

/M.

[Oneputt]

Psionic thankyou very much for that, now to tell Rel

[Slider]

Psionic thankyou very much for that, now to tell Rel

Rather you than me

[bago100]

If that is a Gasteracantha fornicata and you shot it's arse, then I have to ask "where are the spines?".

Have a look at the following url

http://www.antphoto.com.au/antphoto/search?q=aki62232

And imagine shooting the spider from the rear end and ask youself, where are the spines on each side?

See what I mean?

It is hard to say what this spider definitely is bit for my five cents worth, I still recon it's the two-spined spider.

Oh well, whatever it is, there has been some good debate on this to say the least.

Cheers

Graham

[Slider]

John,

you need to find Spidey again and get him to pose from his good side.