Arkys species
Triangular Spider Identification Australia: Arkys Guide
Small Australian Arkys ambush spider with an angular abdomen, enlarged spined front legs and no prey-catching web.
Usually low riskTriangular spider is a useful common name for members of the genus Arkys, a group of small Australian ambush spiders in the family Arkyidae. A likely identification comes from a combination of features: a body around 6–9 mm long, a triangular or heart-shaped abdomen, two enlarged spined front leg pairs held forward, much shorter rear legs, and a leaf or shrub setting without an orb web. Bright red, orange, yellow, black and white patterns occur, but some Arkys look more like bird droppings, so colour alone is not a dependable test. This is a genus-level guide: a clear photograph can support Arkys, but identifying an individual to species may require locality, sex and microscopic characters.
Quick identification
- Body about 6–9 mm, excluding legs
- Abdomen triangular, heart-shaped or angular
- First two leg pairs enlarged, spined and curved forward
- Last two leg pairs much shorter
- Waiting on or under foliage without a capture web
What to check next
Photograph the spider from directly above and from the side, include the front-leg spines and a wider view of the leaf. Then compare abdomen shape, leg proportions and web evidence—not colour alone.
When to seek medical help
The Australian Museum describes triangular spiders as harmless to humans. For an unexpected bite, wash the area and use a wrapped cold pack; seek medical advice if pain is severe, persistent or worsening, and call Triple Zero (000) for signs of anaphylaxis.
Where it is usually seen
On or beneath leaves of trees and shrubs in eucalypt forest, woodland, regrowth and gardens; adults are noticed most often in summer.