Salticidae, Jumping Spiders

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Cosmophasis baehrae
Cosmophasis baehrae

Most salticids, 5000 or more species, live in the tropics. In Australia 76 genera and 252 described species are present. The spiders are daylight hunters and can be easily spotted. Their size is relatively small (3-20 mm) but most of them are smaller than 10 mm. A lot of them are coloured beautifully. Most salticids hunt on vegetation. The rectangular thorax, stout body, the rather short legs, their distinctive eye arrangement and their jumping capabilities make them one of the most easily recognizable families.

Some species exhibit an amazing resemblance with ants and are called "ant like" spiders. Because of its resemblance to ants, it can walk between them without being attacked. Five genera of ant-mimicking spider occur in Australia: Judalana, Ligonipes, Rhombonotus, Damoetas and Myrmarachne.
Ligonipes semitectus

The jumping spider can be found everywhere if the sun is shining, on trees, grass and rocks. At night or during rainfall the spiders hide in a dry spot under a small web. Their large eyes give them excellent eyesight. As most spiders they also have four pairs of eyes. Two large ones in de middle and two small ones are looking forward. Above the front row is a second row of two tiny eyes and behind these there is a set of two large eyes looking upward. All these eyes give them a 360-degree eyesight. Spiders have singular eyes like mammals, unlike the insects that have compound eyes. The eyes can move out or inwards for focusing and they can turn up and down and left and right. The spider can also turn its carapace (breast) more than 45 degrees to look around. Prey can be noticed from a distance of about 30 - 40 cm. At a distance of 20 cm the spider turns its body so that the two front eyes points to the insect. The muscles in the eye focus the eye on the prey and the eye moves around their optical axis. In this way the spiders scans the object like a modern scanner. The effect is extraordinary. The eyesight is enhanced like a zoom lens and it is capable to adjust its looking angle from 10 to 60 degrees. In experiments it was shown that the spider is capable to distinct dangerous insects and prey. The eyes are also capable to see colour. After the object is recognized as eatable the spider carefully moves towards it victim. As you can see the on the picture they also catch prey, much bigger than themselves.

 



It was spectacular to see the little Salticus scenicus catching this big fly.

Salticids are the tigers among spiders. The spider slowly advances towards its prey. When it is at a reachable distance, it jumps on its prey and grabs it with its jaws. They use their third and/or fourth pair of legs for jumping. If you notice the spider on a wall, often the Salticus scenicus, it seems as mocks at gravity. It jumps of the walls and falls back on it several centimeters further instead of falling down. This is because of its lifeline. If you watch the spider carefully, you can notice that it always releases a lifeline when it jumps. If the jump fails it can crawl back to its original position and it prevents the spider from falling down.
Jumping spiders do not make webs to catch prey.
They do use a silken retreat of thick, white, slightly viscid silk in crevices, under stones on the ground, under bark or on the foliage and plants. Many retreat to these little white bags at night or during winter to hibernate. The females lay their eggs in these retreats mostly in spring and summer.

Jumping spiders are not toxic.

Salticus scenicus

Genus Adoxotoma

Adoxotoma nodosa Adoxotoma nodosa
Adoxotoma nodosa Adoxotoma nodosa

Genus Arasia

Arasia ZZ055 Arasia ZZ056
Arasia mollicoma Arasia mollicoma Found on eucalyptus bark between Emerald and Clermont, Queensland
Arasia ZZ029 Arasia ZZ029
Arasia ZZ029 Arasia ZZ029

Genus Astia

Astia nodosa Astia nodosa
Astia nodosa Astia nodosa
Astia hariola Astia hariola
Astia hariola Astia hariola

Genus Astilodes

Astilodes mariae Astilodes mariae
Astilodes mariae Astilodes mariae

Genus Bathipus

Bathippus montrouzieri Bathippus montrouzieri
Bathippus montrouzieri ? Bathippus montrouzieri ?
Bathippus montrouzieri Bathippus montrouzieri
Bathippus montrouzieri ? Bathippus montrouzieri ?

Genus Canama

Canama hinnuleus?

Canama hinnuleus?

Canama (possibly hinnuleus) Canama (possibly hinnuleus)

Genus Clynotis

Clynotis severus (Bark jumping spider or Stern jumping spider) is very variable in colour and appearance.  It hunts on the bark of trees
Its size varies between 5 and 9 mm.

Clynotis severus Clynotis severus
Clynotis severus (Bark jumping spider) Clynotis severus
Clynotis severus Clynotis severus
Clynotis severus (Picture Roy Barnes) Clynotis severus (Picture Roy Barnes)

Genus Cosmophasis

The head of this spider has a metallic green and black coloring. The chelicera (jaws) are extremely long. It waves its white palps very quickly.

Cosmophasis micarioides Cosmophasis micarioides
Male Cosmophasis micarioides Picture by Tony Bailey Female Cosmophasis micarioides with prey Picture by Tony Bailey
Cosmophasis micarioides Cosmophasis micarioides
Cosmophasis micarioides female Cosmophasis micarioides female

Cosmophasis baehrae?

Cosmophasis baehrae?

Cosmophasis baehrae?

Cosmophasis baehrae?

Cosmophasis micans Cosmophasis micans
Cosmophasis micans male Cosmophasis micans male
Cosmophasis baehrae Cosmophasis baehrae
Cosmophasis baehrae ? female Cosmophasis baehrae ? female
Cosmophasis baehrae Cosmophasis baehrae
Cosmophasis baehrae Cosmophasis baehrae

Cosmophasis_ZZ058_F0630

Cosmophasis_ZZ059_F0680

Cosmophasis thalassina
Probably introduced in QLD parks from Malaysia.

Cosmophasis micans

Cosmophasis micans Cosmophasis micans
Cosmophasis micans? Cosmophasis micans?
Opisthoncus mordax male Opisthoncus mordax male
Cosmophasis? Omoedus? ZZ276 QLD Cosmophasis? Omoedus? ZZ276 QLD


Genus Cytaea

Cytaea alburna Cytaea alburna
Cytaea alburna Cytaea alburna
Cytaea xanthopus Cytaea xanthopus
Cytaea xanthopus? Cytaea xanthopus?
Cytaea severa

Cytaea severa

Cytaea severa

Cytaea severa

Cytaea frontagliera Cytaea frontagliera
Cytaea frontagliera Cytaea frontagliera
species ZZ188 species ZZ188
Cytaea ZZ186 plumbeiventris? Cytaea ZZ186 plumbeiventris?


GenusDamoetas

Damoetas nitidus Damoetas nitidus
Damoetas nitidus Damoetas nitidus

Genus Euryattus

Euryattus bleekeri Euryattus bleekeri
Euryattus bleekeri Euryattus bleekeri
Euryattus bleekeri Euryattus bleekeri
Euryattus bleekeri Euryattus bleekeri
Eryattus bleekeri Eryattus bleekeri
Eryattus bleekeri Eryattus bleekeri

Genus Hasarius

Hasarius adansoni Hasarius adansoni
Hasarius adansoni (Adanson's House Jumper) Hasarius adansoni

Genus Helpis

In Australia three species occur in this genus. These spiders are active hunters on leaves during the day in shaded situations.

Helpis minitabunda
Helpis minitabunda male
The common name of this spider is Bronze aussie jumper. The spider is between 8 - 10 mm and the malse are larger than the females. Females have another and lighter colour pattern. The males front pair legs are longest. These spiders ocuur in QLD, VIC and NSW
Helpis minitabunda Helpis minitabunda
Helpis minitabunda Helpis minitabunda
Helpis minitabunda female Helpis minitabunda female

Genus Holoplatys

Holoplatys lhotsky

 

Holoplatys lhotsky

A small jumping spider, with a body adpated for entering cracks and folds in bark. This spider can be found in the cracks and folds in bark, especially the eucalypt bark.
Its long slender body is adapted to its surroundings.

Holoplatys lhotsky

Holoplatys lhotsky


Genus Hypoblemum renamed to Maratus

The in 2019 renamed spider names in this genus were again renamed In 2021.
See Australian jumping spiders of the genus Hypoblemum,J Otto and D Hill

To be short:
Hypoblemum villosum -> Hypoblemum griseum -> Maratus griseum
Hypoblemum albovittatum -> Hypoblemum griseum -> Maratus griseum
Hypoblemum scutulatus -> Hypoblemum scutulatum -> Maratus scutulatum

 

Hypoblemum albovittatum female
Hypoblemum albovittatum female Hypoblemum albovittatum female
Hypoblemum albovittatum male now Maratus griseum Hypoblemum albovittatum male now Maratus griseum
Hypoblemum villosum Hypoblemum villosum
Hypoblemum villosum now Maratus griseum from New Zealand Northern island Hypoblemum villosum now Maratus griseum from New Zealand Northern island
Hypoblemum albovittatum Hypoblemum albovittatum
Hypoblemum albovittatum From QLD now Maratus griseum Hypoblemum albovittatum From QLD now Maratus griseum

Genus Jotus

Jotus minutus Jotus minutus
Jotus minutus Jotus minutus
Jotus minutus Jotus ZZ566
Jotus minutus Jotus ZZ566

Genus Judalana

Judalana lutea
Judalana lutea

Judalana lutea

Judalana lutea Yellow ant-mimicking spider. The only member in this genus and found only in Queensland

more info here -->


Genus Ligonipes

Ligonipes semitectus Ligonipes semitectus

Ligonipes semitectus an ant-mimicking spider.

Ligonipes semitectus


Genus Maratus ex Lycidas

Lycidas scutulatus Lycidas scutulatus
Maratus scutulatus ex Lycidas Maratus scutulatus ex Lycidas

Genus Maratus formerly Saitis

Maratus volans

This male' peacock spider', Maratus volans, is one of Australia's spectacular spiders. The spider has a cape or flaps around its abdomen. He was falsely named 'gliding spider' because it was thought the spider could glide on his flaps through the air.
When the brightly coloured male courts with his relatively duller mate he expands his flaps like a peacock's tails and raises his with white hairs tipped legs. A spectacular courtship dance of this 'peacock spider'.

More info and pictures here --->

Maratus volans
Maratus volans Maratus volans
Maratus volans QLD (was Saitis volans). Peacock spider. Maratus volans QLD (was Saitis volans). Peacock spider
Maratus_pavonis Maratus pavonis

Maratus pavonis WA Picture by Farhan Bokhari

Maratus pavonis WA Picture by Farhan Bokhari
Maratus griseum by Bernard Katthagen Victoria Maratus griseum by Bernard Katthagen Victoria

All Maratus volans images copyright Jurgen Otto
An illustrated review of the known peacock spiders of the genus Maratus from Australia, with description of a new species, Jürgen C. Otto and David E. Hill, PECKHAMIA 96.1, 1 December 2011, 1―27

PECKHAMIA_148.4.pdf Catalogue of the Australian peacock spiders, Jürgen C. Otto and David E. Hill


Genus Menemerus

Menemerus bivittatus female Menemerus bivittatus male
Menemerus bivittatus male Menemerus bivittatus male

Genus Mopsus

A genus with only one spider named Mopsus mormon, formerly also named Mopsus penicillatus.
The common name of this spider is Green jumping spider or Northern green jumping spider. They are found in Eastern Australia and New Guinea.
This is Australia's largest jumping spider. The female measures up to 18 mm while the male is around 12 mm in body length. The spider catches large prey during day-time with its stout two front pairs of legs. Their colour varies widely with their surrounding but is predominantly green. They can be found on broad green leaves and tree trunks.

Mopsus mormon

Mopsus_penicillatus_F0682

Mopsus mormon female

Mopsus mormon male. Note the white whiskers on its head.

Mopsus mormon Mopsus mormon
   

Mopsus mormon

Mopsus mormon

And her front legs are capable of catching large prey.
Mopsus mormon Mopsus mormon
Mopsus mormon male. Even his own kind is taken. But wasps are also serious enemies.

Genus Myrmarachne

Myrmarachne smaragdina Myrmarachne smaragdina
Myrmarachne smaragdina Myrmarachne smaragdina
Myrmarachne_ZZ462_D6256

Some spiders mimic other insects. As is the case with most spiders that mimic ants, the color of the spider is almost the same as the ant it mimics.
Also it abdomen has often an slight constriction to mimic the three segment of an ant. These spiders mix freely with ants, and feed on them when a single ant gets away from the others. Jumping spiders are not the only spiders family that mimic ants also Clubionidae (sac spiders) in the genera Castianeira and Apochinomma imitate ants.

Five genera of ant-mimicking spider occur in Australia: Judalana, Ligonipes, Rhombonotus, Damoetas and Myrmarachne.

Rhombonotus or Myrmarachne species  

Genus Ocrisiona

Ocrisiona leucocomis Ocrisiona leucocomis
Ocrisiona leucocomis? was found under the bark of a tree near Brisbie Island. The spider was hidden beneath a sheet of silk.

Genus Opisthoncus

With 25 describes species Opistoncus is one of the largest genera of the Australian Salticidae.
Males often differ substantially from females in colour pattern.
The spiders are often brown to black and often have a pattern white, grey, brown or black zig-zag pattern on the abdomen.
The cephalothorax (head-breast part) has often patches of white, brown or yellow patches and brown to red rings around their eyes.
The spider hunts during day-time like most salticids.

Opisthoncus polyphemus

Opisthoncus_ZZ062_F0499

Opisthoncus polyphemus female

Opisthoncus polyphemus female. Her size is 8-9 mm, the male 6-7 mm. Habitat: screrophyl (hard-leaved) forest, heathland and woodland

Opisthoncus quadratarius Opisthoncus quadratarius
Opisthoncus quadratarius Picture by Tony Bailey Opisthoncus quadratarius Picture by Tony Bailey
Opisthoncus polyphemus male Opisthoncus mordax
Opisthoncus polyphemus male Opisthoncus mordax male
Opisthoncus parcedentatus Opisthoncus parcedentatus
Opisthoncus parcedentatus Opisthoncus parcedentatus

Opisthoncus parcedentatus

Opisthoncus parcedentatus_F0622

Opisthoncus parcedentatus?

Opisthoncus parcedentatus female

Opisthoncus_ZZ050_RF0237 Opisthoncus_ZZ050_RF0238

Opisthoncus ZZ050

Opisthoncus ZZ050

Opisthoncus mordax Opisthoncus mordax
Opisthoncus mordax female Opisthoncus mordax female
Opisthoncus mordax Opisthoncus mordax
Opisthoncus mordax male Opisthoncus mordax male
Opisthoncus mordax male species ZZ188
Opisthoncus mordax male QLD Opisthoncus mordax male QLD
ZZ053_F0772 Opisthoncus ZZ031
Opisthoncus? ZZ053 Opisthoncus ZZ031
Opisthoncus
Opisthoncus ZZ398 Opisthoncus ZZ398
Opisthoncus ZZ398 Opisthoncus ZZ398
Opisthoncus_ZZ049 Opisthoncus_ZZ049
Opisthoncus_ZZ049 Opisthoncus_ZZ049


Genus Pellenus

Pellenes_bitaeniatus Pellenes_bitaeniatus

Pellenes bitaeniatus

Pellenes bitaeniatus


Genus Plexippus

The common name of this spider is house fly catcher. The female is 7-9 mm long and the male 6-7 mm. It lives throughout the tropics

Plexippus petersi Plexippus petersi
Plexippus petersi male Plexippus petersi male
Plexippus paykulli Plexippus paykulli
Plexippus petersi Plexippus petersi

Genus Prostheclina

Prostheclina bulburinmale Prostheclina bulburinmale
Prostheclina bulburin male Prostheclina bulburin male
Prostheclina bulburinfemale Prostheclina bulburinmale
Prostheclina bulburin female Prostheclina bulburin male


Genus Rhombonotus

Rhombonotus gracilis
Rhombonotus gracilis Rhombonotus gracilis
Rhombonotus gracilis ant mimicking spider 3 - 4 mm long Rhombonotus gracilis Common name: Graceful Rhombonotus
More here: saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au

Genus Sandalodes

Sandalodes bipenicillatus Sandalodes bipenicillatus
Sandalodes bipenicillatus? Sandalodes bipenicillatus?
Sandalodes_bipenicillatus Sandalodes bipenicillatus
Sandalodes? bipenicillatus? Sandalodes? bipenicillatus?


Genus Servaea

The six described species of Servaea are generally found in Eastern Australia. One species is found on Java.
Servaea vestita has a body length of 8 - 10 mm is very hairy and variable in colouring and pattern. An inverted Y-shape can be seen on the middle of her abdomen. Males and females look similiar.

Servaea incana

Servaea incana Servaea incana
Servaea incana Servaea incana
Servaea vestita Servaea vestita
Servaea vestita? Servaea vestita
Servaea vestita
Servaea vestita
Servaea ZZ587 Servaea ZZ573
Servaea ZZ587 Servaea ZZ573

Genus Simaetha

Simaetha tenuidens Simaetha tenuidens
Simaetha tenuidens Simaetha tenuidens juvenile
Simaetha tenuidens Simaetha tenuidens
Simaetha tenuidens male Simaetha tenuidens female
Simaetha tenuidens Simaetha tenuidens
Simaetha tenuidens female Simaetha tenuidens on her nest
Simaetha tenuidens is very similar to Simaetha thoracica and are called Brown jumpers. These spiders are 5 - 8 mm long. young spiders are covered with golden hairs they loose when older. The female has attractive whiskers  
Eight species of Simaetha occur in Australia  

Genus Simaethula

These small jumping spiders closely related to Simaetha but they are smaller.
Females are generally 2-4 mm and males 1-3 mm.
 
Simaethula auratus Simaethula auratus
Simaethula auratus Simaethula auratus
Simaethula ZZ483 Simaethula ZZ507
Simaethula ZZ483 Simaethula ZZ507
Simaethula ZZ559  
Simaethula ZZ559  

Genus Sondra

Sondra nepenthicola Sondra nepenthicola
Sondra nepenthicola Sondra nepenthicola

Genus Thyene

Thyene_ZZ026_F0504

 

Thyene ZZ026

Thyene_ZZ026

A small jumping spider.

Thyene ZZ026

 

Genus Zenodores

Zenodorus orbiculatus

Zenodorus orbiculata

This 7-9 mm long spider can found between grass, on leaves or bark hunting soft bodied bugs and flies. It are active hunter in shady situation during the day. The spider can be found in coastal heathland in QLD and NSW . Male and females are similar in appearance.
The spider name was formerly named Pystera orbiculata.

Zenodorus orbiculata Zenodorus orbiculata

Zenodorus orbiculatus

Zenodorus orbiculatus

Zenodorus orbiculata Zenodorus orbiculata
The spider name was formerly Pystera orbiculata. This 7-9 mm long spider can found hunting on soft bodied bugs and flies. Zenodorus orbiculatus
Pystira_orbiculata_F0851 Zenodorus orbiculata


Unknown genera

Jumping spider Jumping spider
ZZ565 ZZ565

Jumping spider

Jumping spider

Cytaea ZZ046

Cytaea ZZ046

Jumping spider

Jumping spider

species ZZ051

species ZZ051

Jumping spider

Jumping spider

Simaetha ZZ047

Omoedus ZZ040
Jumping spider  
Hypoblemum ZZ136  
Jumping spider Jumping spider
Opisthoncus ZZ277 species ZZ188

Jumping spider

Jumping spider

species ZZ027

species ZZ038

Ed Nieuwenhuys, 21 march 2023

14 november 2022, 10 may 2022, 27 January 2017, 8 february 2015 18 August 2012 , 28 December 2011, 20 april 2011,
14 december 2010 , 17 april 2010, 9 august 2009, 14 december 2008 , 15 november 2008,
26 november 2006, 14 juli 1996

Pictures on this page if not noted by Ronald Loggen, Jurgen Otto, Robert Whyte and Ed Nieuwenhuijs

Copyright ã 1997-2023