Jumping Spider I.D...

Simon Sansom · 05-27-04, 11:51 PM

Hi folks,

Just wondering if anyone here can positively identify this good-sized jumping spider?

I find a lot of these guys on the walls of my house. They aren't shown in my field-guides.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Simon R. Sansom

Pixie · 05-28-04, 12:20 AM

I am honestly clueless when it comes to jumping spiders. I did find this link on a google search that list the jumping spider species in Canada and which province they are found in.

Hope this helps

Pixie

http://www.ualberta.ca/%7Edps1/salticidae.html

Simon Sansom · 05-29-04, 06:25 PM

Thanks, Pixie!
I checked out that link and some other stuff, but I still can't find this particular guy. Thanks for helping to put me on track, though.

I'm familiar with the little Zebra Jumping Spiders, and the larger Daring Jumping Spider, <html><i>(Phidippus audax) </i></html>, but this guy has me stumped.

I'll keep searchin'.

Cheers!

Simon R. Sansom

Tarcan · 05-29-04, 07:26 PM

Here is one of my own...

Dragoon · 05-30-04, 07:45 PM

hey, here's mine!

I found this rather large jumper at work and brought her home. I only had her a couple of days, and found she laid an eggcase under this leaf.
What is supercool about this, and you probably can't tell from the pic, is that she webbed over her eggsac, then made a second 'tent' over herself, as she guards her eggs.
I have misted and added food, but she hasn't come out from her tent. How loyal she is to her babies! She's so nice, I hope she lives a long time...does anyone know?
I had a tiny peach colored spider lay an egg sac for me, but she died shortly before it hatched. That one wasn't a jumper, it was just a little spider.
This jumper has a white furry face, big black eyes, and a pearl grey body with light striping.
D.
<IMG SRC="http://varanid.mvd2.com/Files/Dragoon/Jumper.jpg">

Removed_2815 · 05-30-04, 09:22 PM

Here's one I found recently, no idea what species it is though and I currently lack the motivation to find out

Ryan

Simon Sansom · 05-31-04, 08:18 AM

Awesome pic, Ryan - I love it! Maybe I'll see if I can identify that one.

Ever since I was a kid, I've enjoyed Jumping Spiders - They have so much "personality", lol!

After checking out the link that Pixie so kindly posted and doing a bit more digging, I was able to determine that the one I was looking for is actually a female <html><i>Platycryptus undatus </i></html>. I have not yet found a common name for it. And I have never seen a male, just females...I'll have to keep my eyes peeled.

It's quite fascinating to take the time to enjoy the "wildlife" found around the home and garden. There's so much to see. We are sometimes blinded by the exotic while the multitude of species in our own backyards go quietly unnoticed.

Anyone remember "The Amateur Naturalist", Gerald Durrell...??

Cheers!

Simon R. Sansom

Pixie · 05-31-04, 10:42 AM

Congrats on identifying your little spider!

I must say, after seeing a few pics of them (I didn't know much if anything about them before this thread), they're really growing on me!

I especially like Martin's pic higher up! Looks like they have attitude! hahaha

Pixie