Maratus volans
Encyclopedia
The Peacock spider or Gliding spider (Maratus volans) is a species of jumping spider
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noted in his original description that "it is difficult to describe adequately the great beauty of the colouring of this spider".
The red, blue and black colored males have flap-like extensions of the abdomen
with white hairs that can be folded down. They are used for display during mating
: the male raises his abdomen, then expands and raises the flaps so that the abdomen forms a white-fringed, circular field of color. The species, and indeed the whole genus Maratus have been compared to peacocks in this respect. The third pair of legs is also raised for display, showing a brush of black hairs and white tips. While approaching the female, the male will then vibrate raised legs and tail, and dance from side to side.
Both sexes reach about 5 mm in body length. Females and immatures of both sexes are brown with no distinct pattern.
(Queensland, New South Wales).
, because it was at first thought that the flaps help the spider in gliding.
(the European S. barbipes also uses its third pair of legs for display), the two genera are probably not closely related.
Jumping spider
The jumping spider family contains more than 500 described genera and about 5,000 described species, making it the largest family of spiders with about 13% of all species. Jumping spiders have some of the best vision among invertebrates and use it in courtship, hunting and navigation...
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Description
Octavius Pickard-CambridgeOctavius Pickard-Cambridge
The Reverend Octavius Pickard-Cambridge FRS was an English clergyman and zoologist.Pickard-Cambridge was born in Bloxworth rectory, Dorset, the fifth son of Revd George Pickard, rector and squire of Bloxworth: the family changed their name to Pickard-Cambridge in 1848...
noted in his original description that "it is difficult to describe adequately the great beauty of the colouring of this spider".
The red, blue and black colored males have flap-like extensions of the abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
with white hairs that can be folded down. They are used for display during mating
Mating
In biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation. In social animals, it also includes the raising of their offspring. Copulation is the union of the sex organs of two sexually reproducing animals for insemination and subsequent internal fertilization...
: the male raises his abdomen, then expands and raises the flaps so that the abdomen forms a white-fringed, circular field of color. The species, and indeed the whole genus Maratus have been compared to peacocks in this respect. The third pair of legs is also raised for display, showing a brush of black hairs and white tips. While approaching the female, the male will then vibrate raised legs and tail, and dance from side to side.
Both sexes reach about 5 mm in body length. Females and immatures of both sexes are brown with no distinct pattern.
Distribution
M. volans is confined to eastern parts of AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(Queensland, New South Wales).
Name
The species name means "flying" in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, because it was at first thought that the flaps help the spider in gliding.
Gliding
A common urban myth is the belief that when the spider is leaping, it can use its flaps to extend the jump and glide short distances through the air. However, this belief has been debunked by the Australasian Arachnological Society.Relationships
While the courtship dance is similar to those of genus SaitisSaitis
Saitis is a spider genus of the Salticidae family . The 30 recognized species are spread worldwide.-Distribution:It is possible that the species from Australia belong to other genera, such as Lycidas.-Species:...
(the European S. barbipes also uses its third pair of legs for display), the two genera are probably not closely related.
See also
- Saitis barbipesSaitis barbipesSaitis barbipes is a common jumping spider in the Mediterranean region, where it can be found on houses and rocks, as well as indoors.The Australian "peacock spider", Maratus volans, has a range of superficial similarities to the species, such as green eyes, and an enlarged third pair of legs used...
- an European jumping spider bearing superficial similarities, but likely no close phylogenetic relationship
External links
- Images of M. volans, including courtship dance
- Diagnostic drawings of M. volans
- YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
: Footage of M. volans mating dance