Spiders are the eight-legged arthropods of the order Araneae that are globally found. As of August 2021, there are 49,623 spider species, out of which 10,000 species are found only in Australia. Out of these 10,000, only 3,600 species have been discovered so far.
Australia is the hub of some biggest and most dangerous (venomous) spiders in the world. Th erefore, in this post, we have listed some biggest spiders found in Australia as of 2023. Some spiders in the list are venomous, so always try to avoid them. Let’s begin with the list of the Top 9 Biggest Spiders in Australia.
Top 9 Biggest Spiders in Australia
9) Sydney Brown Trapdoor Spider
- Size- 3.5 cm body length
- Scientific Name- Arbanitis villosus
- Location- Sydney region
Sydney Brown Trapdoor Spider is from the family Idiopidae and can primarily be seen in George’s River in southern Sydney, Hunter River Valley, and Parramatta in the west.
They mostly feed small insects, beetles, cockroaches, crickets, etc. Although they are non-venomous spiders, their bite may be painful and cause minor swelling.
8) Red-headed Mouse Spider
- Size- 3.5 cm approximately
- Scientific name- Missulena occatoria
- Location- Southern Australia
Red-headed Mouse Spiders are categorized under one of the venomous spiders with the danger potential, same as the Sydney Funnel-web Spider. They are primarily found in the west of the Great Dividing Range. They mainly feed insects, other spiders, lizards, and small frogs.
7) Black Wish-Bone Spider
- Size- 5 cm in length
- Scientific name- Aname inimica
- Location-South Australia
Black Wish-Bone Spider is one of the biggest wishbone spiders in Australia of the family Anamidae. They can be majorly found in Tasmania. They get their name from the shape of their burrow. The male spiders generally have silver, and females have gold colors on their heads with long black legs.Â
6) Sydney funnel-web spider
- Size- 5 cm
- Species- Atrax robustus
- Location- Eastern Australia
Sydney Funnel-web spider is one of the venomous and most dangerous spiders found in Australia. They are a member of a group of Australian Funnel-Web spiders. Not only dangerous, but they are also one of the largest spiders found in Australia. They can grow up to 5 cm.
Also, their venom is capable of causing some serious problems that may lead to death in humans. They are terrestrial spiders and enjoy living in moist sand and clays. They mostly feed on insects, small frogs, crickets etc.
5) Nursery web spiders
- Size- 12 cm including legs
- Scientific Name- Argyroneta Aquatica
- Location- Penrose State Forest, Australia
Nursery web spiders are also known as fishing or water spiders. They are non-venomous and live near ponds, lakes, and slow-running streams. They primarily hunt water insects, small fish, and tadpoles and can be found along the coasts.
4) Golden Orb Weaving Spiders
- Size- 4 cm (15 cm with leg-span)
- Scientific Name- Nephila plumipes
- Location- all across Australia
Golden Orb Weaving Spiders, also known as the tiger spiders, are among the biggest spiders in Australia if we include the leg span. They can be easily found in the mangrove forests of Bicentennial Park and the Homebush Bay area of the city. They mainly feed on beetles, flies, and moths. Also, a bite can only minor pain and swelling.
3) Australian Huntsman Spiders
Size- 15 cm with leg-span
Scientific Name- Heteropoda venatori
Location- all across Australia
Australian Huntsman Spiders, also known as Giant Crab Spiders, is one of the largest Australian spiders. They can be easily found all over Australia. They primarily feed on large insects. Australian Huntsman Spiders are non-venomous and not dangerous to people. Also, a bite can lead to a little pain without any major illness.
2) Australian Tarantulas
- Size- 16 cm with leg span
- Scientific name- Selenocosmia stirlingi, Selenotypus plumipes
- Location- Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia
Australian Tarantulas, also known as whistling or barking spiders, are native to the arid regions of Australia. These tarantulas are one of the largest spiders in Australia. They are also called bird-eating spiders but mainly feed on insects, frogs, and lizards. They are also dangerous to humans.
A bite from them can lead to nausea and vomiting for six to eight hours. There are a total of 6 species of bird-eating spiders found in Australia: Selenocosmia crassipes, Selenocosmia stirlingi, Selenocosmia strenua, Selenocosmia subvulpina, Selenotholus foelschei, Selenotypus plumipes. However, we are taking only two of them due to lack of information.
1) Queensland Whistling Tarantula
- Size- 22 cm (8.7 inches)
- Scientific name- Selenocosmia crassipes
- Location- East coast of Queensland, Australia
Queensland Whistling Tarantula, also known as Selenocosmia crassipes, is the largest Australian spider ever recorded, with a body size of 6 cm and a leg span of up to 22 cm. They can be easily found on the east coast of Queensland.
They primarily feed on insects and other spiders. Also, a bite from Queensland Whistling Tarantula, the biggest spider in Australia, can cause major illness with six of vomiting.
Special Mentions
Wolf spiders
- Size- up to 8 cm (according to Australian Museum)
- Scientific name- Lycosa furcillata, Tasmanicosa godefffroyi, and Venatrix furcillata
- Location- All over Australia
Wolf Spiders can be found all over Australia and have various species with lengths from 1 cm to 8 cm. The most common species are Tasmanicosa godefffroyi, and Venatrix furcillata. They are nocturnal, and you can easily spot them by flashing the light at night. In response, their eyes will glow due to the presence of tapetum lucidum.
They are the predators of insects and small toads. Also, their bites are minor and cause a little pain and swelling. Wolf Spiders are also one of the biggest spiders in Australia. However, due to the variety in species and lack of information, we have considered them in the special mention category. To know more about Spider Vision, visit the article mentioned below.
Must Read- All About Spiders’ Vision
Here, we conclude our article on “Top 9 Biggest Spiders in Australia or Largest Australian Spiders.” We hope you like it. We will be back with another post. Till then, stay tuned with us for more posts.
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Monty is a founder of How It See. Being a life science student in a reputed university, he always wonders about an eclectic correlation between science and nature. After engaging in various college projects, Monty determined to share all his knowledge with you as a writer. In the meantime, he loves to research and study about the various types of colorful animals.