Ant mimic spiders?

[natebugman]

One of my wife's coworker's captured what appears to be an ant mimic spider from here in Gainesville, FL. I believe it to be in the genus Castianeira but I can't tell if it's descripta or floridans. Does anyone know of a quick and dirty way to tell the two species apart (i.e. without killing it)? Also, the best way to sex the lightning fast little thing, anything about it's behavior/life history, do they survive well in captivity, and if so, how do you manage to deal with something so quick? I will try to post pics later if needed, but they may turn out to be just a blur.

 

[Camden]

could you see if you could take some pictures? it's okay if you can't. I realize they're tiny, I don't know much about mimic spiders, but i looked in my field guide, and it says theres another ant mimic jumping spider found in florida. "Peckhamia picata"

 

[Ciphor]

Ya pictures would be cool

If it is a velvet ant mimic, which sounds like yours is blackish with a red spot on the abdomen?

I can tell you a few things. Generally, tho not 100% conclusively, it is believed C. descriptas red spot/strip will stop at the very end of the abdomen, while C. floridanas strip/spot usually stops a cm or two short of the end of the abdomen. Also C. descripta may have some white hairs on the posterior abdomen.

You can see some good examples here http://bugguide.net/node/view/2000

As you can see looking at the images, C. floridana is the only one out of this group whose red spot stops short of the back of the abdomen.

Lastly, C. floridana is far more uncommon.

---------- Post added 03-29-2012 at 02:49 PM ----------

Oh and as for care, they are pretty hardy, should eat small crickets. Sexing is not to tough. Males will have spear heads on the end of their pedipalps, and much smaller abdomens. Females are much plumper.

Male
http://bugguide.net/node/view/420613/bgimage

Female
http://bugguide.net/node/view/5979/bgimage

 

[natebugman]

Sorry, I haven't had time to attempt photographing it yet, but I know without a doubt it is NOT a jumping spider. That is what I was hoping it was when he started describing it to me over the phone. As for where the red spot stops, it seems to stop short of the end of the abdomen, but your cm or two can't be right or we're talking about different animals. My spider is maybe 1.5 cm long. It also seems to have some small white markings both anterior and posterior to the red mark with the anterior ones being more distinct.

 

[John Koerner]

There is also Castianeira amoena, which you can see (if you click on the green link) is kinda tiger-striped.

Jack

 

[Ciphor]

My apologies, mm not cm. I can't add anything else. Without a picture it's all speculation and could really be any red/black spider.