The Zebra Spider

[PeterD]

A tiny spider about 5mm long. This one does not use a web to catch its prey. Instead, it can accurately jump onto it using its two large forward facing eyes to spot and calculate the jump necessary. The common name comes from the markings on the body which are zebra-like.


Click here for larger image.


Click here for larger image.

This was seen climbing up and down the railings on our verandah.

Olympus E3 + Sigma 150 DG Macro + Metz Ring Flash.

Comments are welcome as usual.

[cinders]

Re: The Zebra Spider

Lovely images.
There are more jumping spiders, Salticidae I think, than any other group of spider. Often they are very prettily coloured, and their hunting habits are amazing.
I kept one as a 'pet' for about 18 months after it crawled out of a sample of rocks brought back from the USA. They'll tackle much larger prey than themselves and I only once saw mine beaten - by an ugly-looking black fly at least three times bigger than itself, with large spiky hairs.

I don't like big spiders but am very fond of these ones.

[PeterD]

Re: The Zebra Spider

Lovely images.
There are more jumping spiders, Salticidae I think, than any other group of spider. Often they are very prettily coloured, and their hunting habits are amazing.
I kept one as a 'pet' for about 18 months after it crawled out of a sample of rocks brought back from the USA. They'll tackle much larger prey than themselves and I only once saw mine beaten - by an ugly-looking black fly at least three times bigger than itself, with large spiky hairs.

I don't like big spiders but am very fond of these ones.

Thank you for your comments cinders. You are quite right it belongs to the spider family Salticidae. They will raise themselves up (see image1) to examine you if you approach them closely. The hairy fly you mention probably comes from the Tachnidae family of true flies (Diptera). These have long stiff bristles on the abdomen and thorax. The hairs will tend to protect the fly from such attacks.