jumping spider (and prey) identification

[ecooper]

Hi all,

Last weekend I photographed this jumping spider that had caught another spider for dinner. I haven't seen one this darkly patterned before. It doesn't look like a Salticus scenicus or Platycryptus californicus, both of which I've photographed in my backyard before. Any idea what genus/species this might be? It was about 6mm long.

I'm also curious as to what kind of spider is being munched. It looks really familiar but I just can't place it...

I'd like to write a blog about it but prefer to know the identification first.

Thanks!
EC
www.macrocritters.wordpress.com

P5110377 jumping spider feeding on spider copyright ernie cooper 2014 by ernie.cooper, on Flickr

 

[Smokehound714]

Could be a juvie Phidippus borealis.. Definitely a phidippus.

the prey looks to be a philodromid

 

[ecooper]

Could be a juvie Phidippus borealis.. Definitely a phidippus.

the prey looks to be a philodromid

Really? I definitely have P. borealis in the yard. How do you recognize it as phidippus?

Cheers,
EC

 

[Smokehound714]

Really? I definitely have P. borealis in the yard. How do you recognize it as phidippus?

Cheers,
EC

It's general body shape, and the markings on the abdomen. Some jumpers do resemble phidippus, though. I've misidentified a few species as "juvenile phidippus".

 

[ecooper]

Well, we only have one phidippus around here (P. borealis) as far as I know. So if it is a juv then that's what it would be. I didn't think of that because it was the same size as the S. scenicus and P. californicus that are common. Mind you, it didn't act like those other too...not as timid.

EC

---------- Post added 05-14-2014 at 03:37 PM ----------

Looking at the other photos I see that in some you can see the iridescent green chelicerae. Its not as prominent as on the adults. But, juvenile P. borealis it is.

Nice call Smokehound714!

EC

 

[gunslinger]

ecooper - First, very nice photo!

You should have numerous Phidippus species in you area - P. audax, P. johnsoni, and more (assuming the locale in your profile is accurate).

Not sure if you ever use BugGuide, but the advanced search can be used to see what species have been reported in your region.

 

[ecooper]

ecooper - First, very nice photo!

You should have numerous Phidippus species in you area - P. audax, P. johnsoni, and more (assuming the locale in your profile is accurate).

Not sure if you ever use BugGuide, but the advanced search can be used to see what species have been reported in your region.

Son of a gun, you're right! Somehow I got it into my mind that P. borealis was the only Phidippus around Vancouver. Looking at bugguide the specimen I photographed looks an awful lot like a juvenile female P. johnsoni. I’m now wondering whether the P. borealis I often see around my house are actually all P. johnsoni, or maybe I have both? Not exactly clear to me how to distinguish the two. From the photos it appears that P. johnsoni has brighter colouring on the abdomen…but that seems like a weak characteristic to use considering their variability…

 

[Smokehound714]

Son of a gun, you're right! Somehow I got it into my mind that P. borealis was the only Phidippus around Vancouver. Looking at bugguide the specimen I photographed looks an awful lot like a juvenile female P. johnsoni. I’m now wondering whether the P. borealis I often see around my house are actually all P. johnsoni, or maybe I have both? Not exactly clear to me how to distinguish the two. From the photos it appears that P. johnsoni has brighter colouring on the abdomen…but that seems like a weak characteristic to use considering their variability…

you may also have Phidippus californicus, if you can find any scrub.. im sure it exists on some southern facing slops in your area, probably further east. They're highly attracted to artemesia sp. I know vancouver is actually alot like california in climate.

Juvenile P. johnsoni are all black, minus the white spots. Males have a red abdomen, while females generally have a black stripe down the middle. Some CAN have a golden color instead of red, OR a blueish-gray instead of black, like P. carneus.

 

[ecooper]

Interesting...I don't know if P californicus is recorded from BC, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was found around the Osoyoos, BC area. That's the part of BC where you can find other interesting desert critters like scorpions, solifuges, velvet ants...

EC

 

[gunslinger]

There is a good chance that B.C. also has many of the species known from Washington - P. clarus, P. octopunctatus, etc. although not necessarily around Vancouver.

As to distinguishing between species - it can be tricky business - although if it is something that really interests you here is the primary literature on the subject:

Revision of the jumping spiders of the genus Phidippus (Araneae: Salticidae)
Occasional Papers of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Volume 11
G.B. Edwards, Ph.D.
http://centerforsystematicentomology.org/default.asp?action=show_pubs&id=phidippus

Lots of technical stuff, but also some photos and locality data as well.

 

[ecooper]

Thanks! That looks like an interesting publication...should be a good contribution to my library!

EC

 

[ecooper]

Here's another photo of the little beast. I posted a few more on my blog (they are all pretty similar).

Cheers,
EC
www.macrocritters.wordpress.com


P5110417 jumping spider feeding on spider prey copyright ernie cooper 2014 by ernie.cooper, on Flickr