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plexippus petersi
Most salticids, 5000 or more species, live in the tropics. In Australia 76 genera and 252 described species are present. The spiders are daylight hunters and can be easily spotted. Their size is relatively small (3-20 mm) but most of them are smaller than 10 mm. A lot of them are coloured beautifully. Most salticids hunt on vegetation. The rectangular thorax, stout body, the rather short legs, their distinctive eye arrangement and their jumping capabilities make them one of the most easily recognizable families.
In the Philippines, this spider is very common in every home.This jumping spider can be found everywhere if the sun is shining, on trees, grass and rocks. At night or during rainfall the spiders hide in a dry spot under a small web. Their large eyes give them excellent eyesight. As most spiders they also have four pairs of eyes. Two large ones in de middle and two small ones are looking forward. Above the front row is a second row of two tiny eyes and behind these there is a set of two large eyes looking upward. All these eyes give them a 360-degree eyesight. Spiders have singular eyes like mammals, unlike the insects that have compound eyes. The eyes can move out or inwards for focusing and they can turn up and down and left and right. The spider can also turn its carapace (breast) more than 45 degrees to look around. Prey can be noticed from a distance of about 30 - 40 cm. At a distance of 20 cm the spider turns its body so that the two front eyes points to the insect. The muscles in the eye focus the eye on the prey and the eye moves around their optical axis. In this way the spiders scans the object like a modern scanner. The effect is extraordinary. The eyesight is enhanced like a zoom lens and it is capable to adjust its looking angle from 10 to 60 degrees. In experiments it was shown that the spider is capable to distinct dangerous insects and prey. The eyes are also capable to see colour. After the object is recognized as eatable the spider carefully moves towards it victim. As you can see the on the picture they also catch prey, much bigger than themselves. Some species exhibit an amazing resemblance with ants and are called "ant like" spiders. Because of its resemblance to ants, it can walk between them without being attacked.
Jumping spiders are not toxic.
Look it up in the net and see whether my suggestion is correct or not..:)
Spotted on Jun 17, 2012
Submitted on Jun 17, 2012
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