Allocosa flavisternis

Fact Box Species: Allocosa flavisternis or a closely related species (The sources of this suggested identification are as shown below) Family: Lycosidae Body length: female: About 10 mm male: About 10 mm Habitat: In a burrow in the ground or wandering at ground level Toxicity: Toxicity to humans unknown but probably not dangerous

Another view

Note: The Lycosidae of Australia are mostly difficult to identify without the aid of a stereo microscope and extensive taxonomic details, especially of the male and female genitalia of each species. Surface markings on lycosids can be quite variable for a given species from specimen to specimen, from male to female, and from juvenile to adult. In recent years some significant revisions of the Australian wolf spider fauna have been undertaken by Dr. Volker Framenau and his colleagues. However, these revisions have still left many uncertainties in regard to the correct names and occurrence ranges of particular species so some of the lycosid identifications shown on this website are likely to be incorrect either now or in the near future.

The spider shown on this page was found in the vicinity of Toowoomba, Queensland. Its identity is based on the distribution maps for Australian Allocosa species as presented on the Atlas of Living Australia and on diagrams published by Dr. Volker Framenau in the following article: http://www.lycosidae.info/identification/australia/

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