A genus of tiny Australian jumping spiders, mostly 4–5 mm long. To court a female, the male raises a brightly coloured, often iridescent flap on his abdomen and dances, waving his legs and sending vibrations. Females are drab and camouflaged.
Quick answers
What is it?Arachnid
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAustralia
ColoursBlue, Red, Orange
SizeTiny
LengthMostly 4–5 mm (body)
Legs8
Covered inExoskeleton
Lives alone
Lives for1 year
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- All species live in Australia; the area around Cape Riche in Western Australia is a hot spot for them.
Did you know
Only 4–5 mm long, and the male dances with a raised, iridescent flap.
If a female is not impressed by the dance, she may attack, kill and eat the male.
Its blues come from nanostructures in its scales rather than pigment, and they do not fade over time.
Often confused with
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