Ariamnes species
Whip Spider Identification in Australia
Thread-thin Ariamnes comb-footed spider that masquerades as a twig on a few silk lines and captures other spiders with thrown sticky silk.
Usually low riskAustralian “whip spiders” in this guide are true spiders of the genus Ariamnes, not the broad, flattened whip spiders or tailless whip scorpions of the order Amblypygi. A likely Ariamnes looks like a suspended green, cream, brown or grey needle: the abdomen is extraordinarily long and narrow, the small front body sits at one end, and the legs can be clustered along a silk line to strengthen the twig disguise. The best-known Australian species is Ariamnes colubrinus, but the Australian Faunal Directory also lists A. flagellum and the Tasmanian A. patersoniensis. An ordinary garden photograph should therefore stop at Ariamnes unless species-level characters and locality are strong.
Quick identification
- Extremely long, smooth, almost cylindrical abdomen with a tiny front body
- Green, cream, straw, brown or grey twig-like appearance rather than a round cobweb-spider abdomen
- Legs often grouped forward and backward while the spider rests along a single line
- Suspended among a few long delicate silk lines in foliage, especially on summer nights
- May be seen wrapping a small wandering spider with sticky silk
What to check next
Photograph the whole spider square-on, then take a close dorsal and side view without touching its silk. Measure total body length without the legs, record colour, sex clues, date, state and plant habitat, and include the complete sparse web. Use Ariamnes as the endpoint unless diagnostic anatomy or an expert supports a species.
When to seek medical help
No useful Australian clinical series was found that defines an Ariamnes bite syndrome, and its family relationship to redbacks does not mean it shares redback bite risk. Avoid handling and do not provoke a bite to confirm identity. For a witnessed minor spider bite, healthdirect advises washing with soap and water and applying a cold pack for pain. Seek medical advice if pain is severe or does not settle within a few hours, if swelling or itching worsens after 24–48 hours, or if you are worried; call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for advice. Call 000 for collapse, breathing difficulty or other signs of anaphylaxis. Treat a suspected funnel-web bite as a separate emergency.
Where it is usually seen
Forest, woodland, shrubbery and planted gardens, where the spider hangs among foliage or sheltered outdoor structures. Australian Museum notes A. colubrinus is readily seen in gardens on summer nights; genus records occur in every Australian state and territory, but individual species have narrower evidence.