Phidippus octopunctatus is a jumping spider that occurs in the United States and Mexico, mostly in the Great Basin Desert. It is among the largest jumping spiders found in North America, approaching 25 millimetres (0.98 in) in body length. They are gray to brownish-gray in color.
| Phidippus octopunctatus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Salticidae |
| Subfamily: | Salticinae |
| Genus: | Phidippus |
| Species: | P. octopunctatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Phidippus octopunctatus (Peckham & Peckham, 1883)
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| Synonyms | |
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Unlike Phidippus californicus, which lives in the same habitat, it builds a large and prominent nest among the branches of a bush to house its egg cocoon.[1]
Adult males, unmated adult and subadult females can be found in late August.
Phidippus octopunctatus has been observed to hunt large prey, such as grasshoppers and bees.[1]
Footnotes edit
References edit
- Peckham, G.W. & Peckham, E.G. (1883): Descriptions of new or little known spiders of the family Attidae from various parts of the United States of North America. Milwaukee, 1-35.
- Gardner, B.T. (1965): Observations on Three Species of Phidippus Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae). Psyche 72: 133-147. PDF (P. californicus = P. coccineus, P. apacheanus, P. octopunctatus = P. opifex)
- Edwards, G.B. (2004): Revision of the jumping spiders of the genus Phidippus (Araneae: Salticidae). Occas. Pap. Florida State Collect. Arthropods 11: 1-156.
External links edit
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