Found a Jumping Spider (no pic)

[Selenops]

I will try to get a pic up soon but I caught this jumping spider today.

Description -- cephalothorax is abit alongated, black or other very dark nondescript color with a lighter marking dead center.

Orange stripe across the eyes.

Overall color I guess would best be described as greys and tans.

The legs are banded.

The pedipalps are very furry (white or light grey) and are shaped perfectly like --spades-- in which the interior side is straight-edged which allow both pedipalps to be closed seamlessly together lending the spider an almost comical old mustached man anthropomorphic caricature.

And chela are pitch black or very, very dark.

Sorry about no pic.

 

[Selenops]

I have the spider in a 4"x4.5" glass jar with an 1" of playsand for substrate and 4" piece of bark set perfectly diagonal.

The spider began a weird thing, running around on the substrate lifted straight upwards with all legs fully extended and it's abdomen jacked straight up in the air (spinnerets pointed skywards). Not sure if there was silk attached or not.

But there are now a few lines of silk running down from the underside of the piece of bark to the surface of the substrate.

Does this behavior sound familiar?

And does someone have a great site for native Californian or North American Salticidae?

 

[tyrel]

And does someone have a great site for native Californian or North American Salticidae?

This site is great for identifying just about any north american bugs. Post a link if you find it, it sounds like a very nice one!

 

[Selenops]

Thanks for the link. It led me to this, Dionycha of California.

Been feeding scientific names from this list of Salticidae with relative great success through google by local distribution.

But no such luck at finding any spider that bears a fair enough resemblance to mine. Yet, I haven't tried the surrounding counties or those that are considered endemic to just about everywhere in California.

Another key factor, I don't think the link I found is up to date and current either.

 

[tyrel]

But no such luck at finding any spider that bears a fair enough resemblance to mine.

You know, It could be a new species...

Does orange stripe go right over the actual eyes, so that the eyes have orange on them? Or does the stripe just go around them, so the eyes are still dark?

 

[Selenops]

You know, It could be a new species...

Does orange stripe go right over the actual eyes, so that the eyes have orange on them? Or does the stripe just go around them, so the eyes are still dark?

Eyes are dark and the orange stripe across them like Zorro's mask. Fascinating spider but has completely ignored the subadult cricket I provided overnight. Can't be bothered. If pinheads don't work than I'll turn the spider loose.

 

[Ryan C.]

If it doesnt accept the pinhead, try flies.

 

[Selenops]

If it doesnt accept the pinhead, try flies.

Ditto, grown attached to the spider and try any means possible. The spider does stalk the cricket and usually circles around behind it. But never pounces.

Also, this Salticid is spinning plenty of silk, the cricket gets hung up in it all the time. I can see lines of silk dangling (via sand granules) from the bark and the spider displays a rappeling behavior.

 

[tyrel]

I agree, mine never went for crickets, only flies and moths.

I just found out that many spiders (including jumpers) can be raised on droplets of soy milk! You could feed it that once winter comes and flies are scarce.