Jumping Spider is called a miracle of nature, a special type of arthropod. Among other representatives of this species of insects, he stands out for his ability to jump and is the owner of excellent vision. Many researchers claim that he even has intelligence. Jumping Spider is a name that combines a whole group of insects. There are more than six hundred species of them. Representatives of this species are quite common in various parts of the world. Most of them prefer warm countries with tropical climates.
Origin of the Species
Jumping Spiders are representatives of arachnids arthropods, allocated to the order of spiders, the family of jumping spiders. Spiders of this species are representatives of flora and fauna that are found almost everywhere. One of the subspecies was discovered in 1975 even on the summit of Everest, at an altitude of more than 6500 meters above sea level.
The history of the existence of spiders has more than 200 million years. The exact period of the appearance of spiders is unknown due to the fact that finds with the remains of ancient spiders are extremely rare since their body decomposes rather quickly. Scientists managed to find several important finds in amber. Some other body parts of ancient arachnids were found in solidified resin. In appearance, they were small insects, the body size of which did not exceed 0.5 centimeters. The cephalothorax and abdomen had practically no separation. Ancient spiders had a tail that was designed to weave webs. Instead of cobwebs, they produced a kind of dense, sticky thread. Spiders used them to wrap a cocoon, line their den, or for other purposes. The ancient ancestors of modern spiders practically did not have glands that stimulate a poisonous secret.
There is a version that ancient spiders appeared in Gondwana. Then they spread very rapidly over almost the entire earth. The subsequent ice ages reduced the habitat of spiders, and with them many species of ancient arthropods became extinct. Spiders tended to evolve rather quickly, mutate and divide into species.
Appearance and Features
All members of the family are distinguished by rather sharp eyesight, which is required for a successful hunt. The organs of vision are represented by eyes in the amount of eight pieces. They are arranged in three lines. The four largest eyes are located on the first line.
Interesting fact: The front organs of vision are able to rotate up and down, as well as in different directions. With the help of such moving eyes, spiders distinguish shapes, silhouettes, and also colors.
The second row of visual organs is represented by two small eyes. The third row consists of two larger eyes located on either side of the cephalic region. This structure of the visual system allows you to assess the situation at full 360 degrees. This way, you can easily avoid meeting the enemy. Eyesight helps for a successful hunt. The peculiarities of the visual system also lie in the fact that spiders are able to see each eye separately and add everything into a single picture. The retina of the eyes also has an extraordinary structure, which allows you to reliably determine the distance to the desired object, object.
The respiratory system also has distinctive features. It even has peculiar lungs and trachea. The body size of the Jumping Spider does not exceed the size of a five-kopeck coin. The average body length is 5-7 millimeters. Females have a larger body than males. The cephalothorax and abdomen are separated by a thin groove. Different types of spiders have a varied appearance and color, depending on the habitat. Some species may look like scorpions, ants, or beetles. The head part of the body is much higher, it is raised up above the abdomen.
Habitat
Spiders live almost everywhere. They can travel in vegetation, walls, soil, trees, bushes, in secluded corners of various buildings, etc. The habitat depends on the species. Jumping Spiders can live in countries with tropical climates, feel good and comfortable in deserts, semi-deserts, or even in the mountains. Preference is given to regions with a warm climate, they love sunlight.
Jumping Spider geographic regions:
- Queensland;
- New Guinea;
- North America;
- N.S.W;
- Africa;
- Australia.
The lifestyle of the Jumping Spider and its habitat is very different among representatives of various subspecies of this species. One of them tends to weave a web and spend most of their time on it, others manage to build silk nests, which they equip in various secluded corners, and still, others can simply live peacefully on the surface of the earth, or on any type of vegetation. Surprisingly, spiders are completely unpretentious in choosing living conditions. They are easy to find even high in the mountains, or on rocky terrain.
Varieties
There are about 600 genera and up to 6 thousand species of different Jumping Spiders in the world. There are Ant, Himalayan, Green, Gold, imitating scorpions, as well as a jumping spider with almost transparent chitinous membranes. They differ in size, appearance, habitat. Below are some of the varieties:
Elegant Golden
This species is common in Asia, in its southeastern part. The spider has a bright golden color of the body and cephalothorax. The abdomen itself is elongated, the anterior pair of legs are long. Females are traditionally larger than males, the length of the latter is about 4 millimeters.
Himalayan
The spider, named by the name of the area, was discovered for the first time in it. Tiny (up to 5 millimeters female, male – a millimeter shorter) spiders live in the area adjacent to the mountains, including the Himalayas themselves (at an altitude of more than 6 kilometers). Spider chitin is colored in dark brown tones, and in females, the shade is deeper. Known since the 20s of the twentieth century. It is assumed that a similar species may be distributed in India. The diet of spiders is formed by flies and springtails. There is no particular difference in structure between the “ordinary” Jumping Spider and the high-mountain one, this is confirmed by the research of scientists.
Green Jumping Spider
Grass-colored spiders belong to the natives of the Pacific islands and archipelagos. They are often found in Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales. Moreover, Western Australian specimens are considered the largest there. They also live in New Guinea. The difference between a male spider and a female is the presence of segments of whitish “wool” on the body.
Red-Backed
This species is native to the North American continent, where it lives in oak groves, coastal dunes. Loves dry spaces, is distinguished by the characteristic color of chitinous plates on the back. The favorite places of the spider’s settlement are under stones, logs, in vineyards. Creates nests.
Hyllus Diardi
These cute spiders are among the largest of their kind, their length is more than 1 centimeter. Like other spiders, giants do not bother weaving a traditional web. Instead, they hook the end of the web to the nearest branch, support, and courageously throw themselves down to meet the dangers.
Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider
An uninformed person will easily confuse the Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider with a representative of the corresponding insect genus. Such mimicry is essential for survival in the jungle, where the aggressive reputation of weaving ants allows the spiders to defend themselves against their enemies. In this species of spiders, males are larger than females: 12 millimeters versus 7. The habitat includes southeast Asia – Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and India. They are also found in Africa, on the Australian continent. The color is dark, not transparent: from black tones to yellowish.
Housing the Jumping Spider at Home
There are people who prefer an exotic pet like the Jumping Spider. One adult spider needs a transparent container with a tight-fitting lid and a minimum volume of 20x20x20 cm. The temperature in its upper area must reach at least 26 ° C. For heating, you can use an 18 W fluorescent lamp. To achieve high temperatures at certain points, it is advisable to use reflective emitters. The natural microclimate is ensured by planting plants in a container. Ordinary garden soil is taken as a substrate. On the sides of the container, thin ventilation holes are made for good air exchange.
Food
A well-developed visual system allows spiders to get their food in nature. When a potential victim appears, the spider instantly turns in her direction. Spiders not only evaluate their prey but also determine the distance that separates them as accurately as possible. After that, the spider makes an instant jump if the victim is within its reach. In this case, the front pair of limbs are used to grip and fix the victim. Arthropods pierce the chitinous protective layer of insects with chelicerae and inject poison inside. It not only immobilizes and paralyzes the victim but also partially digests the internal organs of the caught insect, turning them into a single continuous liquid substance. Jumping Spiders drink this substance with pleasure, leaving only a chitinous shell.
What serves as a food base for the Jumping Spider in nature:
- spiders inferior in size and dexterity;
- flies;
- bugs;
- mosquitoes;
- caterpillars.
At home, the pet is fed fruit flies, houseflies, grasshoppers, crickets, and butterflies, depending on its size. Feeding is done during daylight hours.
Reproduction
Using his unusual vision, a male Jumping Spider finds a female, after which he begins to perform his unusual mating dance for this female. The spider raises its front legs up and starts waving them, also bending the abdomen and spinning in place. Then, waddling from side to side, it dances next to the female in small semicircles, which gradually taper. After the male fully approaches the female, the dancing male begins to spin quickly, trying to lure the female into this round dance.
Males during the mating season, and not only, show very strong aggression towards each other. That is why, if you put a mirror in front of the Jumping Spider, it starts to react so funny and even throw itself at the reflection.
Danger to Humans
Are domestic spiders dangerous for humans if they have settled in the house? Small species that got into the house from the street are not dangerous for humans, since they do not emit poison. But if you do not take action, they will begin to braid the corners of the rooms with cobwebs and actively reproduce. Arthropods rarely attack humans, but, sensing danger, they can sting. Despite the fact that they are not poisonous, a secret is secreted from the mouth when bitten, which can cause an allergic reaction. In areas with hot climates, tramps are especially dangerous. It is enough to treat the bitten place with an antiseptic.
