The peacock spiders belonging to the jumping spider family is indigenous to different parts of Australia. The colorful body patterns displayed by the males, along with their amazing dancing skills have earned them their name.
Maratus albus | Maratus boranup | Maratus cristatus |
Maratus amabilis | Maratus bubo | Maratus dialeucus |
Maratus anomaliformis | Maratus caeruleus | Maratus digitatus |
Maratus anomalus | Maratus calcitrans | Maratus electricus |
Maratus aurantius | Maratus chlorophthalmus | Maratus elephans |
Maratus australis | Maratus chrysomelas | Maratus eliasi |
Maratus avibus | Maratus cinereus | Maratus fimbriatus |
Maratus bitaeniatus | Maratus clupeatus | Maratus flavus |
Maratus furvus | Maratus gemmifer | Maratus griseus |
Maratus harrisi | Maratus heteropogon | Maratus hortorum |
Maratus jactatus | Maratus julianneae | Maratus karri |
Maratus karschi | Maratus kiwirrkurra | Maratus kochi |
Maratus lentus | Maratus leo | Maratus licunxini |
Maratus linnaei | Maratus literatus | Maratus lobatus |
Maratus madelineae | Maratus maritimus | Maratus melindae |
Maratus michaelorum | Maratus michaelseni | Maratus montanus |
Maratus mungaich | Maratus neptunus | Maratus nigriceps |
Maratus nigromaculatus | Maratus nimbus | Maratus obscurior |
Maratus ottoi | Maratus pardus | Maratus pavonis |
Maratus personatus | Maratus piliger | Maratus pilosus |
Maratus plumosus | Maratus proszynskii | Maratus purcellae |
Maratus rainbowi | Maratus robinsoni | Maratus sagittus |
Maratus sapphirus | Maratus sarahae | Maratus sceletus |
Maratus scutulatus | Maratus speciosus | Maratus speculifer |
Maratus spicatus | Maratus tasmanicus | Maratus tessellatus |
Maratus tortus | Maratus trigonus | Maratus unicup |
Maratus velutinus | Maratus vespa | Maratus vespertilio |
Maratus vittatus | Maratus volans | Maratus vultus |
Maratus watagansi |
Size: All the species of this genus are small-sized, being 4mm to 5mm (0.15 inches to 0.20 inches) long.
Color: The females, as well as the juvenile spiders of both the sexes, have a brown body, though with distinct mottled patterns of brownish and whitish scales. The males, on the other hand, come in colors of blue, red and yellow on the upper part of their abdomen. However, not all species of this genus appear bright to the human eye, for instance, the Maratus vespertilio, which have an ambiguous coloration, with the iridescence present on its lateral flaps.
Other characteristics: The males are characterized by a fan or plate on the upper part of their abdomen that is marked with bright-colored scales or hairs forming a pattern where the foreground and background stand in contrast with one another. The males, as well as females, have their abdomen joined with the cephalothorax by a pedicel which is long and flexible.
The female spider lays about half dozen eggs within a silken sac after the completion of the mating process and guards them intently till the time they hatch.
The spiderlings are mostly of a brown shade with a distinctive pattern and disperse to be on their own after a two-week span.
Like all other jumping spiders, the species of this genus do not construct webs but keep producing silk as they move about in their surroundings. In fact, they are bold enough while stalking their preys and are known to pounce upon creatures that are thrice or four times bigger than them.
They are venomous but not dangerous to mankind as they may bite only accidentally, and their jaws are too small to even penetrate through the human skin.
Distribution | All over Australia, excepting the Maratus furvus, found in China |
Habitat | Dry scrubby regions, grasslands, sand dunes, heaths, and in Eucalyptus woodlands, under leaf litters |
Lifespan | Approximately 1 year |
Diet | Small insects like crickets as well as other spiders |
The peacock spiders belonging to the jumping spider family is indigenous to different parts of Australia. The colorful body patterns displayed by the males, along with their amazing dancing skills have earned them their name.
Maratus albus | Maratus boranup | Maratus cristatus |
Maratus amabilis | Maratus bubo | Maratus dialeucus |
Maratus anomaliformis | Maratus caeruleus | Maratus digitatus |
Maratus anomalus | Maratus calcitrans | Maratus electricus |
Maratus aurantius | Maratus chlorophthalmus | Maratus elephans |
Maratus australis | Maratus chrysomelas | Maratus eliasi |
Maratus avibus | Maratus cinereus | Maratus fimbriatus |
Maratus bitaeniatus | Maratus clupeatus | Maratus flavus |
Maratus furvus | Maratus gemmifer | Maratus griseus |
Maratus harrisi | Maratus heteropogon | Maratus hortorum |
Maratus jactatus | Maratus julianneae | Maratus karri |
Maratus karschi | Maratus kiwirrkurra | Maratus kochi |
Maratus lentus | Maratus leo | Maratus licunxini |
Maratus linnaei | Maratus literatus | Maratus lobatus |
Maratus madelineae | Maratus maritimus | Maratus melindae |
Maratus michaelorum | Maratus michaelseni | Maratus montanus |
Maratus mungaich | Maratus neptunus | Maratus nigriceps |
Maratus nigromaculatus | Maratus nimbus | Maratus obscurior |
Maratus ottoi | Maratus pardus | Maratus pavonis |
Maratus personatus | Maratus piliger | Maratus pilosus |
Maratus plumosus | Maratus proszynskii | Maratus purcellae |
Maratus rainbowi | Maratus robinsoni | Maratus sagittus |
Maratus sapphirus | Maratus sarahae | Maratus sceletus |
Maratus scutulatus | Maratus speciosus | Maratus speculifer |
Maratus spicatus | Maratus tasmanicus | Maratus tessellatus |
Maratus tortus | Maratus trigonus | Maratus unicup |
Maratus velutinus | Maratus vespa | Maratus vespertilio |
Maratus vittatus | Maratus volans | Maratus vultus |
Maratus watagansi |
Size: All the species of this genus are small-sized, being 4mm to 5mm (0.15 inches to 0.20 inches) long.
Color: The females, as well as the juvenile spiders of both the sexes, have a brown body, though with distinct mottled patterns of brownish and whitish scales. The males, on the other hand, come in colors of blue, red and yellow on the upper part of their abdomen. However, not all species of this genus appear bright to the human eye, for instance, the Maratus vespertilio, which have an ambiguous coloration, with the iridescence present on its lateral flaps.
Other characteristics: The males are characterized by a fan or plate on the upper part of their abdomen that is marked with bright-colored scales or hairs forming a pattern where the foreground and background stand in contrast with one another. The males, as well as females, have their abdomen joined with the cephalothorax by a pedicel which is long and flexible.
The female spider lays about half dozen eggs within a silken sac after the completion of the mating process and guards them intently till the time they hatch.
The spiderlings are mostly of a brown shade with a distinctive pattern and disperse to be on their own after a two-week span.
Like all other jumping spiders, the species of this genus do not construct webs but keep producing silk as they move about in their surroundings. In fact, they are bold enough while stalking their preys and are known to pounce upon creatures that are thrice or four times bigger than them.
They are venomous but not dangerous to mankind as they may bite only accidentally, and their jaws are too small to even penetrate through the human skin.
Distribution | All over Australia, excepting the Maratus furvus, found in China |
Habitat | Dry scrubby regions, grasslands, sand dunes, heaths, and in Eucalyptus woodlands, under leaf litters |
Lifespan | Approximately 1 year |
Diet | Small insects like crickets as well as other spiders |