''Colonus puerperus'' is a species of
jumping spider
Jumping spiders are a group of spiders that constitute the family (biology), family Salticidae. , this family contained over 600 species description, described genus, genera and over 6,000 described species, making it the largest family of spide ...
commonly found in the eastern United States. Its range stretches along the
Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South or the South Coast, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Tex ...
from
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
to
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, and north to
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
.
It is usually found in grassy areas during the warmer months of the year.
Adult females are between 7 and 11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) in length.
Adult males are between 5 and 7 mm (0.2–0.3 in).
The species name is from Latin ', "just having born a child" (from ', child, and ', give birth).
This species is among the furthest jumping, if not the furthest jumping, species of jumping spiders. The maximum horizontal jump distance of a 6.2 mm male was measured at 23 cm, meaning that ''C. puerperus'' is capable of jumping up to 38 times its body length.
References
External links
*
''Colonus puerperus''at Bugguide.net
Salticidae
Spiders of the United States
Spiders described in 1846
{{salticidae-stub