Great News! But I need an ID

[Lost_Tarantula]

This is great! As of until now, my spider collection had been limited to tarantulas. Now on the roof of my car (Atrax, I think we're attracting spiders with our pro-arachnid kharma ). Although really inexperience in the field of arachnids, I believe it to be a jumper..because...well....it can jump. I forgot what you call the appendeges that end in the fangs....anyway, their metallic green. The rest of the spider is jet black with white spots. Not an extremely fast runner. Anyone have an ID and a link to a caresheet? I mean, I don't even know where to begin with this guy. Here's a pic of him:

 

[Lost_Tarantula]

Another:

 

[Lost_Tarantula]

This one shows the prominent front legs:

 

[ArachnoJoost]

I think it could well be Phidippus audax, see the thread 'Jumping Spider with Green Chelicerae' in this forum. Very beautiful little spider, wish we had cool jumpers over here (well, they are cool, but only under a microscope... )

 

[Gillian]

Very cool!
I love those guys! I agree, looks like an P. audax. I kept mine in critter keepers. Put a plastic leaf in, for climbing. Misted every once in a while, and fed. Wait until you see him/her eat for the first time. If they feel threatened by their prey, they will hold their little front legs up..I can't hardly wait for spring..

Peace,
Gillian

 

[Alex S.]

Yep, thats the good ol Phidippus audax. Male to be precise.

Alex S.

 

[JacenBeers]

Wow that spider is pretty. THose front legs are awesome.

 

[Lost_Tarantula]

Originally posted by Alex S.
Yep, thats the good ol Phidippus audax. Male to be precise.

Alex S.

Wow, how can you tell from that? Color different, or something? After going through the whole sexing thing with tarantulas, and you pop out a sex from three fuzzy pictures, I am truly impressed!

Jacen-
Thanks. It's prettier from the front, with the green chelicerae and those intelligent eyes. One thing that makes them so smart looking is that they can rotate their head independently from their abdomen, so he kind turned around and looked at me once, like a person would. Really weird.

This is the first time I've come across a jumper and actually knew what it was. Man I missed out; used to have bazillions of little all-black tiny jumpers in my old house. Too late now.

 

[Lost_Tarantula]

Well he's doing fine. It's fun watching them hunt, especially me, since my T's don't pounce crickets. This one caught a cricket by its back legs, then pulled it in and got it's abdomen. Hah if I look close enough, I can see juices being sucked up.

-LT

Here's a pic that almost shows the green chelicerae.

 

[Alex S.]

P. audax male

The males are lighter built and the enlarged front legs are the main characteristic, as well as color variations. The palps also have tufts of hair used in courtship.

Alex S.

 

[Henry Kane]

Awesome!!!

Great pics too. That would be really cool if you came across a female P. audax, huh?

Atrax

 

[galeogirl]

What a great little spider! They're so fun to watch, I feed the wild ones that I find in my house and in the garden. (Okay, I feed the orbweavers and all the others, too, I just like having them around).

 

[Lost_Tarantula]

Originally posted by galeogirl
What a great little spider! They're so fun to watch, I feed the wild ones that I find in my house and in the garden. (Okay, I feed the orbweavers and all the others, too, I just like having them around).

Thanks. That reminds me...I live near a creek and a bunch of wooded areas...some great spiders to be found. Actually, before my first T, I used to be a mild arachnophobe. I once had my face scant inches from a huge yellow and black garden spider...or something down at the creek. Let's just say, when I noticed it, it was an unpleasant experience. Now I'd kill for that to happen again. I should go spider-hunting to increase my collection. Thanks for the idea!

-LT

 

[Alex S.]

Yeah, I highly reccomend searching down in the wooded areas. You can find wolf spiders (Lycosidae), fishing spiders (Pisauridae), jumping spiders (Salticidae), crab spiders (Thomisidae), orb-webs (Araneidae), lynx spiders (Oxyopidae), grass spiders (Agelenidae), and several other families.

Alex S.