Maratus volans

Illustration together with details of a peacock spider

The peacock spider ( Maratus volans ) is a living in the eastern parts of Australia spider from the family of jumping spiders. It belongs to the genus Maratus which has at least 20 different species.

Occurrence

Maratus volans, the so-called "flying spider " is the best known species of the genus Maratus. It was most common near the coast of New South Wales (German: New South Wales ), the south-eastern part of Australia found. She was also about 70 km south of Melbourne and located near Brisbane. According to the Queensland Museum is the spider in the southeastern and central Queensland, spread both also at the Thornton Peak, the fourth highest mountain in Queensland, and in Tropical North Queensland.

History

The first description of the peacock spider was published by Octavius ​​Pickard - Cambridge 1874. His statements that he would have a lifting and lowering of the dorsal plates observed, and that the spiders used these plates even as wings and to support their jumps, meant that this actually false statement was held to be true and, consequently, flying from the " / sliding Spider " was said. That is why the spider was assigned to the derived from the Latin term " volans ," which means "on the fly ". This type of genre of Maratus was assigned because the males have a dorsal flap. When they looked at the Maratus precisely, was particularly struck by the unique courtship behavior of the males on the so-called " mating dance ".

Appearance

The peacock spider is about 3.8 to 6.0 mm in size. The females are colored very dark and have, in contrast to the males no dorsal flap on the opisthosoma. In the male it is thickly covered with colorful scales and shimmers mostly very colorful and dazzling. These scales radiate at the Peacock Spider mostly from the middle to both sides. This type is distinguished by particularly good eyes. There are four headlights like eyes on the forehead; on the side there are two much smaller eyes.

Lifestyle and diet

Maratus volans is a very lively and extremely fast spider. She also loves the sun and its heat. To catch their prey, this spider weaves no web, but pursues its victims until they paralyze their prey with a bite at the right moment. Maratus volans weave only to create a living dream, where they live and hibernate. In addition, this provides protection skinning and laying eggs. Like all species of the family of jumping spiders feeds the Maratus volans of insects. It flies, crickets, long- horned crickets and Grasshopper are preferred.

The mating dance

When mating dance the males fight with their dance to the attention of the females. The male has abdominal extensions in the form of flaps, lifting it with his dancing and flipping out. The belly flaps are extended, however, only in the final phase of Balztanzes. These parts of the body, the functions of flying and gliding were attributed actually, but this was never confirmed. Therefore, it stands to reason that they are available only for courtship behavior.

If the male is about 3 inches away from the female, the male raises his abdomen and develops its side flaps. His abdomen is then recognized as a colorful plate. Right and left of it are stretched out his third walking legs. With these, the male shakes wildly. The running back and forth thereby reduced almost imperceptibly the distance to the females. If the female is impressed by the mating dance of the male, it does not move and gives the males now have the chance to climb on them. Then, the male turns his abdomen and performs its pedipalps which are used here as sperm carriers, a. This process can take up to two hours. Right after dismissing the pedipalps it moves as quickly as possible away from the females.

Sources and links

  • Youtube: The courtship dance of the peacock spider, accessed March 2013
  • Otto, JC and DE Hill: An illustrated review of the known peacock spiders of the genus Maratus from Australia, with description of a new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae ). In: Peckhamia. 96, No. 1, 2011, pp. 1-27 ( http://peckhamia.com/peckhamia/PECKHAMIA_96.1.pdf ).
  • Waldock, Julianne M., Western Australian Museum ( ed.): What's in a name? Or: why Maratus volans ( Salticidae ) can not fly. 2011, ISSN 1944-8120 ( http://www.australasian-arachnology.org/download/Maratus_cannot_fly.pdf ).
  • Animal documentary, accessed March 2013
  • THE ANNALS AND MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY (PDF, 536 kB), accessed March 2013
  • Jumping spiders
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