Unknown lycosid

Fact Box Species: Unknown lycosid (identification difficult because of a lack of distinctive characters - see notes below) Family: Lycosidae Body length: female: perhaps 15-20 mm male: perhaps 14-18 mm Habitat: In a burrow in the ground, the entrance probably lacking a door Toxicity: Uncertain; may cause mild illness but bitings that lead to serious problems appear to be uncommon

Front view

Note: The Lycosidae of Australia are very difficult to identify without the aid of a stereo microscope and extensive taxonomic details. Surface markings can be quite variable for a given species, from specimen to specimen, from male to female, and from juvenile to adult. Over the last decade or so a major revision of the Australian wolf spider fauna has been undertaken by Dr. Volker Framenau and his colleagues. This revision is not yet complete so some of the lycosid identifications shown on this website are likely to be incorrect either now or in the near future. At the end of 2010 the most reliable sources of information/photos about the Australian lycosids can be found at the following two websites:

http://www.lycosidae.info/identification/australia/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/australianspiders/collections/72157622669463297/

Wolf spiders are notable vagrants and can sometimes be found outside the burrow foraging for insects.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: Many other lycosid species.