Lynx spider

Fact Box Species: Oxyopes elegans (RM) Family: Oxyopidae Body length: female: 7 mm male: 5 mm Habitat: On the leaves of lush garden plants; this species does not use any form of web for catching insects but is an adept hunter Toxicity: Unknown; may be too small to cause serious illness but the bite of this spider is said to be painful

The male Immature male

Oxyopids share with most salticids the ability to move about by jumping from surface to surface. Members of all other spider families are unable to jump although they may fall from a height and be carried in the breeze if small. Another distinctive characteristic of oxyopids is that on their head region there is a hexagonal ring of six moderately large eyes and a pair of smaller eyes in front of this ring.

Like all oxyopids this species has relatively long, spiny legs which are partly folded back over the body for much of the time. The spines are comparatively unusual in that they project out at right angles to the legs.

Known Range: This species has been found in Arnhem Land and from Cape York down the east coast to Launceston and even in Adelaide and Perth.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: Oecobius navus.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: A number of other Oxyopes species.