Six-spotted Fishing Spiders

Description:

Large spiders (female is nearly 2.5 inches in diameter, including legs), scurrying along the surface of the water. They hunt whatever insects they can find, mostly mayflies. The name "triton" is a reference to the Greek sea god, Poseidon. There are two individuals in this spotting, because I found them within a foot of each other. The first three photos are of one, which I think is a female, and the second two are of the other, which I think is male (based on the shape of their abdomens and their relative size; female is rounder and larger).

Habitat:

Pond surrounded by vegetation. It had just rained, and the pond was flooded, so these were actually found on what should have been the sidewalk. It was amazing to watch them run right over the water, using the surface tension.