It is a nocturnal hunter, feeling the water surface for vibrations, and catches insects and even small fishes – the only New Zealand Dolomedes species able to do so.

[4] The species was named in honour of spider taxonomist Dr Charles Dondale, to recognise the support he gave to both authors and his work on the taxonomy of the family Pisauridae.

[3] It has distinctive features of the male pedipalps and female genitalia, but can easily be distinguished from other Dolomedes species by the stripes down each side of the abdomen, which are light yellow-brown with several patches extending a little way towards the midline.

[4] Unlike the closely related D. aquaticus, which is found in open riverbeds and lake shores, D. dondalei prefers shaded waterways with native forest or dense vegetation.

[1][4] This species is attacked by parasitic wasps (Cryptocheilus australis and Sphictostethus nitidus, family Pompiliidae) which paralyses them, sometimes even pursuing them underwater, and drags them to a nest to feed its larva.