Megadolomedes

Megadolomedes is a genus of spider in the family Pisauridae. The genus contains only one species, Megadolomedes australianus,[1] commonly known as the giant water spider. It is one of Australia's largest spiders, with a legspan of up to 18 cm. Found near creeks and ponds, it is capable of running on water. Food includes small fish, tadpoles and aquatic insects. Air is trapped on body and leg hair, allowing them to stay underwater for long periods of time.[2][3][4]

Megadolomedes
Ferndale Park, Sydney, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Pisauridae
Genus: Megadolomedes
Davies & Raven, 1980[1]
Species:
M. australianus
Binomial name
Megadolomedes australianus
L.Koch, 1865[1]
Synonyms
  • Dolomedes australianus L. Koch, 1865
  • Dolomedes cervinus L. Koch, 1876
  • Dolomedes trux Rainbow, 1912

German naturalist Ludwig Carl Christian Koch described the giant water spider as Dolomedes australianus in 1865, from a specimen collected in Wollongong.

References
  1. "Gen. Megadolomedes Davies & Raven, 1980". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  2. Robert Whyte and Dr Greg Anderson. "Giant Water Spider (Megadolomedes australianus)". Arachne.org. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  3. NCRIS. "Giant Water Spider (Megadolomedes australianus)". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  4. Ron Atkinson. "Water Spider (Megadolomedes australianus)". Find a Spider Guide for South East Queensland. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
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