Jumping Spiders

The largest spider family, jumping spider or Salticidae, is known for its member’s incredible vision. They have 8 eyes, with the front pair being prominently large. They can also jump to a great extent. Around 6,000 species belong to the family, distributed under about 600 genera.

Spiders Belonging to this Family

Genus

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: The usual range of their size is 0.04-0.98 in (0.10-2.4 cm).

Color: They are generally black and brown with some light markings. Male spiders are incredibly colorful, showcasing iridescent hairs all over the body.

Other Characteristic Features: Their front legs are longer than the rear legs, but they use the rear ones to jump. The front legs are used for grasping their preys. The spiders also have a different type of cephalothorax than their cousins.

Eggs

Jumping spiders lay 100-150 eggs in a lens-shaped egg sac. The sac is hanged from the wall of the silken retreats.

Spiderlings

Young spiderlings go through molting phases a couple of times.

The Web

Most jumping spiders do not make webs, but a few species do, but even they don’t rely on webs for hunting.

Are Jumping Spiders Venomous

Jumping spiders do not bite humans, instead they prefer running away while in danger. Even if they bite, it is not detrimental.

Quick Facts

Did You Know

• Male jumping spiders use their colors to allure female spiders for mating.
• They are active mostly during the daytime.
• The jumping spider family alone contains 13% of all spider species.
• They often create a silken retreat where they can fall back on, before they jump.
• They can jump around 20 times longer than their entire body length.