Oxyopid spiders approach their prey slowly then pounce, hence the common name Lynx spiders. They have slender legs with long spikey hairs and eight eyes in four rows of two, three of the rows having larger eyes, presenting a characteristic hexagonal shape. The Australian genera incude Peucetia , Hamataliwa and Oxyopes , the latter having the greatest number of species. Three large Oxyopes species are in a tropical group, extending to Brisbane but mainly more northerly, O. striatus, O. macilentus with a broad range and O. papuanus. A group of small Oxyopes species includes the very common and abundant O. elegans and O. variabilis, often the dominant spiders in tall grasses.
Oxyopes elegans L. Koch, 1878 Elegant Lynx Spider
A common spider in vegetated habitats, especially long grass. Its range is mostly coastal to inland Queensland and New South Wales. It hunts on foliage, pouncing on insects and other arthropods, including spiders. This species has black lines along the length of the insides of... 
Oxyopes gracilipes (White, 1849) Graceful-legs Lynx
A study by Cor Vink and Phil Sirvid, in New Zealand Entomologist, 1998, Vol. 21, The Oxyopidae (lynx spiders) of New Zealand, found only one species...
Oxyopes gratus L. Koch, 1878 Pleasant Lynx Spider
This page had some misidentified O. elegans males, and possibly O. gracilipes females, which have been moved. Koch's illustrations shows...
Oxyopes macilentus L. Koch, 1878 Lean Lynx Spider
Common in Queensland coastal areas, extending inland, in most vegetated habits, especially in grasses. It has black and orange lines running the...
Oxyopes papuanus Thorell, 1881 Papuan Lynx Spider
A large lynx spider in Northern Australia in most types of habitat, favouring grasses. The abdomen has distinctive markings resembling those of O. elegans but this spider is much larger. It has an extended tip to the palp like others in its group e.g. O. macilentus. Abundant when...
Oxyopes punctatus Koch, 1888 Dotty Lynx Spider
In his description Koch refers to males and females from Rockhampton, Peak Downs and Gayndah. Some of his type series are now in the British Museum...
Oxyopes variabilis L. Koch 1878 Variable Lynx Spider
As the species names suggests, this Lynx spider is extremely variable In pattern and colour. It is found in most types of vegetation, favouring...
Peucetia L. Koch, 1878 Green Lynx Spider
This medium-sized lynx spider found in central and northern Queensland hunts on vegetation in the daytime. It pounces on prey like other lynx...
