Giant Water Spider

Megadolomedes australianus

"Megadolomedes" is a genus of spider in the family Pisauridae. 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.
Giant Water Spider - Megadolomedes australianus  Australia,Giant Water Spider,Land Cove,Megadolomedes australianus,New South Wales,Spider,Water Spider

Naming

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

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassArachnida
OrderAraneae
FamilyPisauridae
GenusMegadolomedes
SpeciesM. australianus
Photographed in
Australia