''Phidippus apacheanus'' 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 ...
in the family
Salticidae
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 ...
. It is found in the United States, Mexico, and
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
.
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Description
It is large for a jumping spider, small males of this species measure 3.3mm and large female can measure up to 22mm. They are black with some orange, red or yellow coloration on top. The females usually have a black line on the abdomen
The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...
. With the chelicarae being an iridescent green. It is thought they are mimics of the western velvet ant '' Dasymutilla flammifera'' or the Mutillidae
Velvet ants (Mutillidae) are a family of more than 7,000 species of wasps whose wingless females resemble large, hairy ants. Their common name velvet ant refers to their resemblance to an ant, and their dense pile of hair, which most often is br ...
family as a whole'','' both mimicking their coloration and their general shape.
Courtship display
These spiders have an interesting courtship display, the males first holds his carapace
A carapace is a dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the unde ...
high, shifting the abdomen
The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...
to one side and raising the first pair of legs. In this position he advances in a zigzag, stopping every few steps, shifting his abdomen to the opposite side after each approach. While doing this the male flicks his pedipalp
Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the secondary pair of forward appendages among Chelicerata, chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to ...
s up and down, first holding them far apart, and slowly closing them together as he approaches the female. He then does this until the tips touch and form a circle. The female if she has accepted the male will do an acceptance dance, then the male cautiously touches the female.
Distribution
This species has been observed in the United States, Mexico and Cuba, they are found in a great variety of habitats, such as grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...
s, fields and desert
A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
s. Usually being found between 500 and 1800 m above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...
.
References
Further reading
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External links
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Salticidae
Articles created by Qbugbot
Spiders described in 1929
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