About Poecilopachys australasia (Griffith & Pidgeon, 1833)
Females of Poecilopachys australasia reach approximately 8 mm in body length and have bright, distinct coloration. The upper surface of their abdomen is yellow and olive, marked by two white, horn-like spines that give the species its common name of two-spined spider. A broad cream and yellow band crosses the front of the abdomen, while the rear of the abdomen features an upward-pointing chevron marking set against a red or yellow background. Adult males are far smaller, measuring only 2.5 to 3 mm in length, and are much harder to locate. They do not have the characteristic horns or bright coloration of adult females, and were originally misidentified as a separate species under the name Cyrtarachne setosa. Two-spined spiders are native to Australia. They were first recorded in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1971. After their introduction to New Zealand, the species has spread southward. It is now common across the northern half of the South Island, and individuals have been found as far south as Christchurch.
