The Wonderful World of Salticidae

[Yoshistar888]

In this thread I'll be highlighting various jumping spiders of the family Salticidae. Jumping spiders are variable, have amazing adaptations, mating dances and more so sit back relax and enjoy the thread.

For this to work it needs member contribution, jumping spiders are a diverse family found all over the world and I'm sure everyone has their resident species or two in their backyard, photos would be appreciated.

For now I'll only be covering species in the Zoochat gallery, of which there aren't too many.

Entry number one

Bronze Jumping Spider (Helpis minitabunda)

I thought it would be a good idea to start with a species I am familiar with being the Bronze Jumping Spider. Unusually for jumping spiders, the male is larger than the female, in this case the Male grows to 10mm in length and the Female 8mm.

This species inhabits forests, woodlands and urban areas and is numerous throughout it's range of Eastern Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea. It has also been introduced into New Zealand.

Like most species of Jumping Spiders, this species displays sexual dimorphism meaning that males and females vary in colouration. The species gets it's common name from bronze spots on the back as displayed in the photo below, photographed by yours truly in my own backyard.

 

[Yoshistar888]

In this thread I'll be highlighting various jumping spiders of the family Salticidae. Jumping spiders are variable, have amazing adaptations, mating dances and more so sit back relax and enjoy the thread.

For this to work it needs member contribution, jumping spiders are a diverse family found all over the world and I'm sure everyone has their resident species or two in their backyard, photos would be appreciated.

For now I'll only be covering species in the Zoochat gallery, of which there aren't too many.

Entry number one

Bronze Jumping Spider (Helpis minitabunda)

I thought it would be a good idea to start with a species I am familiar with being the Bronze Jumping Spider. Unusually for jumping spiders, the male is larger than the female, in this case the Male grows to 10mm in length and the Female 8mm.

This species inhabits forests, woodlands and urban areas and is numerous throughout it's range of Eastern Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea. It has also been introduced into New Zealand.

Like most species of Jumping Spiders, this species displays sexual dimorphism meaning that males and females vary in colouration. The species gets it's common name from bronze spots on the back as displayed in the photo below, photographed by yours truly in my own backyard.

Entry 2

Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)

The Bold Jumping Spider is a variable species, which heavily varies, in colouration, patterning and size. Its found in most of North America but is absent from the Pacific coast and most of Mexico. It is also found in Cuba and has been introduced to Hawaii and the Nicobar islands. This is a large species growing up to 18mm in length although the average is around 11mm.

It frequents grasslands and urban areas, and is one of North Americas most common jumpers.

bold jumping spider

• branta68
• 23 Dec 2019

my roommate.

 

[Tetzoo Quizzer]

I love Zebra Spiders, Salticus scenicus, which are one of my signs of spring, crawling over whitewashed surfaces in the sunshine.

 

[Jurek7]

They should be bred to the size of puppies and kept as pets.

 

[Yoshistar888]

I love Zebra Spiders, Salticus scenicus, which are one of my signs of spring, crawling over whitewashed surfaces in the sunshine.

Do you have any photos of them by chance?

 

[Yoshistar888]

Before I start this entry I'd please urge people to upload photos of their local jumping spiders as I've only been able to find four species in the gallery including the two listed above and the one i'm about to do.

Entry 3

Green Jumping Spider (Mopsus mormon)

This species of jumping spider is found across Australia's Eastern Coast and Papua New Guinea although it is not found in the South East of Australia. Females grow to around 12mm. This species is infamous for it's bite which compared to other Jumping spider species is regarded as one of the more painful. It is the only species in the genus Mopsus) Etymology for this species is uncertain, although apparently mormon is the name of a demon in mythology which eats children.

Photo by @WhistlingKite24

Green Jumping Spider (Mopsus mormon)

• WhistlingKite24
• 27 Jul 2020
• 5

 

[Yoshistar888]

Before I start this entry I'd please urge people to upload photos of their local jumping spiders as I've only been able to find four species in the gallery including the two listed above and the one i'm about to do.

Entry 3

Green Jumping Spider (Mopsus mormon)

This species of jumping spider is found across Australia's Eastern Coast and Papua New Guinea although it is not found in the South East of Australia. Females grow to around 12mm. This species is infamous for it's bite which compared to other Jumping spider species is regarded as one of the more painful. It is the only species in the genus Mopsus) Etymology for this species is uncertain, although apparently mormon is the name of a demon in mythology which eats children.

Photo by @WhistlingKite24

Green Jumping Spider (Mopsus mormon)

• WhistlingKite24
• 27 Jul 2020
• 5

This will be the last entry unless more species are added.

Entry 4

Fringed Jumping Spider (Portia fimbriata)

This species of jumping spider is found from Northern Australia all across South East Asia and into Southern Asia reaching into Sri Lanka. Depending on the populations, fringed jumping spiders hunt differently, for example the Sri Lankan population is an average hunter, the Queensland population is specialized to hunt other jumping spiders and the Northern Territory population is specialized to hunt other spiders as well as insects. The female of this species does not eat the male but instead there is heavy competition between females, the victorious female will eat the losers eggs and chase them away. There is extreme colour variation between locals, differing on the carpace. Males grow to about 6mm whereas females grow to about 10mm.

Photo at the Queensland Museum by @WhistlingKite24

Fringed Jumping Spider (Portia fimbriata)

• WhistlingKite24
• 9 Dec 2019

 

[Yoshistar888]

Unfortunately this thread will be on indefinite hiatus until new jumping spider species are added to the gallery. .

In the meantime though i'll be starting an invertebrate thread that wont finish as quickly, all about beetles, while this task may seem over ambitious, i'm willing to give it a crack while this thread is unfortunately on hiatus.

 

[Yoshistar888]

Unfortunately this thread will be on indefinite hiatus until new jumping spider species are added to the gallery. .

In the meantime though i'll be starting an invertebrate thread that wont finish as quickly, all about beetles, while this task may seem over ambitious, i'm willing to give it a crack while this thread is unfortunately on hiatus.

Since the hiatus I've seen another jumping spider appear in my gallery feed but I forgot the name of it

Anyway's here's one of the most amazing species I've ever seen.

Entry 5

Jovial Jumping Spider (Apricia jovialis)

Endemic to Australia, this species grows to a moderate size of a few centimetres, it has beautiful jet black colouration and a gold spot on the back of the abdomen. Males such as this one pictured have bright red legs and flashy white fangs which it uses to show off to females.

Photo by yours truly.

Jovial Jumping Spider (Apricia jovialis)

• Yoshistar888
• 9 Nov 2020
• 4

Amazing species. It was so cool that I just had to break the school rules to get my phone out of...