Jumping Spider Anatomy

[IcedDemonGirl]

So I just recently started keeping jumping spiders and have been making a habit to research and learn what I can, but when it comes to telling the difference between a female and a male, there's not a whole lot of examples I can find to help me compare. I purchased this girl, Maya, about 2 months ago. She has dark coloration and green/blue chelicerae, which by some websites standards means that she's actually a male. I got her from a breeder and so I trust she's female but I also would like to know how to see something like this for myself and just learn as much as I can. I was able to get a picture of the her underside and I'm wondering if anyone would be able to tell me what it is I'm actually looking for?

 

[Sam99]

What kind of jumping spider is she? I am a newbie to spoods myself! I now have 4 regal jumping spiders (3 female 1 male). My first girl I got in April has now recently molted to i10 and I will attach a pic of what I see on her if that helps you! Sorry I’m not much help! Still learning myself

 

[MorbidArachnid]

So I just recently started keeping jumping spiders and have been making a habit to research and learn what I can, but when it comes to telling the difference between a female and a male, there's not a whole lot of examples I can find to help me compare. I purchased this girl, Maya, about 2 months ago. She has dark coloration and green/blue chelicerae, which by some websites standards means that she's actually a male. I got her from a breeder and so I trust she's female but I also would like to know how to see something like this for myself and just learn as much as I can. I was able to get a picture of the her underside and I'm wondering if anyone would be able to tell me what it is I'm actually looking for?

You're looking for palps, jumpers are pretty hard to sex by looking at the epigyne because they're so furry. It also depends on species to some extent, if it's a regal the males will be all black and white with longer forelegs also and have blue/green chelicerae. Female regals will usually have more colors, and usually have pink/purple chelicerae, but I have seen female regals with green chelicerae.


Typical female regal, note the shape of the palps.

Bold jumpers are pretty similar, but there's some exceptions. We actually found a male bold jumper with colors recently.


Here's a typical male Bold, showing the palps. Male regals look basically the exact same.

For subadults it can be hard to tell, for regals typically any color means they're female, for bolds the subadults will often have orange even if they mature into all black and white males.

 

[IcedDemonGirl]

What kind of jumping spider is she? I am a newbie to spoods myself! I now have 4 regal jumping spiders (3 female 1 male). My first girl I got in April has now recently molted to i10 and I will attach a pic of what I see on her if that helps you! Sorry I’m not much help! Still learning myself
View attachment 480512

She's a regal jumper at i9 right now. It does help! Seeing examples was a big part of what I couldn't find online, so I appreciate it very much

 

[IcedDemonGirl]

You're looking for palps, jumpers are pretty hard to sex by looking at the epigyne because they're so furry. It also depends on species to some extent, if it's a regal the males will be all black and white with longer forelegs also and have blue/green chelicerae. Female regals will usually have more colors, and usually have pink/purple chelicerae, but I have seen female regals with green chelicerae.

View attachment 480515
Typical female regal, note the shape of the palps.

Bold jumpers are pretty similar, but there's some exceptions. We actually found a male bold jumper with colors recently.
View attachment 480516 View attachment 480517

Here's a typical male Bold, showing the palps. Male regals look basically the exact same.
View attachment 480518
For subadults it can be hard to tell, for regals typically any color means they're female, for bolds the subadults will often have orange even if they mature into all black and white males.

She is a regal jumping spider, she's still not yet at maturity so I'm hoping the details will be easier for me to see when she has her next molt. I became really interested in figuring out how to see these differences when she had her last molt about a month ago and came out almost completely black and white, she looked like a completely different spider! It was incredible. Thank you so much for all the information you've provided, I'm excited to aquire a more trained eye with these little adventurers.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

You're looking for palps, jumpers are pretty hard to sex by looking at the epigyne because they're so furry. It also depends on species to some extent, if it's a regal the males will be all black and white with longer forelegs also and have blue/green chelicerae. Female regals will usually have more colors, and usually have pink/purple chelicerae, but I have seen female regals with green chelicerae.

View attachment 480515
Typical female regal, note the shape of the palps.

Bold jumpers are pretty similar, but there's some exceptions. We actually found a male bold jumper with colors recently.
View attachment 480516 View attachment 480517

Here's a typical male Bold, showing the palps. Male regals look basically the exact same.
View attachment 480518
For subadults it can be hard to tell, for regals typically any color means they're female, for bolds the subadults will often have orange even if they mature into all black and white males.

hard to guess the gender for me , great explaining how to identity them
I used to catch them all the time in Minerva , I don’t seee them here often enough I leave them alone.
baby’s are so small , I’d rather stick to tarantulas for now . I like jumpers though. I love watching jumpers hunt!

 

[TheraMygale]

I dont know the truth of it yet, i have been reading on it. Sometimes color of chelicrae is different? I know thats not a fact for p audax. And there can always be exceptions.

The pedipalps and leg length is a sure way to know. I can tell adults a part easliy. But smaller instars, might need to have a ventral shot.

i found tons of stuff by google male vs female.

 

[Brewser]

The Intriguing World of Spiders...
The Wonderment, the behaviors, the differences.
This is all part of trying learn and understand who they are?
What Sex is a small part of the mystery.

 

[IcedDemonGirl]

I dont know the truth of it yet, i have been reading on it. Sometimes color of chelicrae is different? I know thats not a fact for p audax. And there can always be exceptions.

The pedipalps and leg length is a sure way to know. I can tell adults a part easliy. But smaller instars, might need to have a ventral shot.

i found tons of stuff by google male vs female.

I had to Google what a ventral shot was in order to understand but I must say that has helped me so much in finding even more examples and information that I couldn't find originally. So thank you very much for that, I don't know all of the terminology yet and so that could very well be a part of why it was so difficult for me to find results. I appreciate it!

 

[TheraMygale]

I had to Google what a ventral shot was in order to understand but I must say that has helped me so much in finding even more examples and information that I couldn't find originally. So thank you very much for that, I don't know all of the terminology yet and so that could very well be a part of why it was so difficult for me to find results. I appreciate it!

Its ok. The fact is: you are learning and this is the amazing part. You will be a good spider caretaker. You are willing to put time and work.

you are on right path.

 

[IcedDemonGirl]

You're looking for palps, jumpers are pretty hard to sex by looking at the epigyne because they're so furry. It also depends on species to some extent, if it's a regal the males will be all black and white with longer forelegs also and have blue/green chelicerae. Female regals will usually have more colors, and usually have pink/purple chelicerae, but I have seen female regals with green chelicerae.

View attachment 480515
Typical female regal, note the shape of the palps.

Bold jumpers are pretty similar, but there's some exceptions. We actually found a male bold jumper with colors recently.
View attachment 480516 View attachment 480517

Here's a typical male Bold, showing the palps. Male regals look basically the exact same.
View attachment 480518
For subadults it can be hard to tell, for regals typically any color means they're female, for bolds the subadults will often have orange even if they mature into all black and white males.

I want to thank you so much again for all your in depth information on figuring out the gender of my regal jumper. "She" molted again and has hit maturity, coming out as a very clear male that looks like an exact image of the male example you gave. His name is now Myles and he's living his best life, still rather skiddish but he's always been that way. Seeing that green/blue color in person is so cool.

 

[The Snark]

I had to Google what a ventral shot was in order to understand

That's one that drives me bonkers. Bio class: All proper terms referring to anatomy are based in Latin. Okay, standardized terminologies. Makes sense. Ventral, dorsal. Cool. Then in human anatomy we get anterior posterior. Wait a minute, Anterior, ant- is proto indo European but posterior is Latin. Are you trying to trip us up?

When trying to muddle through terminologies, use synonyms and antonyms and the etymology of the word for clues. Ventral antonym: dorsal. But that may just get you more confused. Superior inferior? No wonder it takes 7+ years to become a doctor and no two doctors will give the exactly same diagnosis unless they often have lunch together.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

That's one that drives me bonkers. Bio class: All proper terms referring to anatomy are based in Latin. Okay, standardized terminologies. Makes sense. Ventral, dorsal. Cool. Then in human anatomy we get anterior posterior. Wait a minute, Anterior, ant- is proto indo European but posterior is Latin. Are you trying to trip us up?

When trying to muddle through terminologies, use synonyms and antonyms and the etymology of the word for clues. Ventral antonym: dorsal. But that may just get you more confused. Superior inferior? No wonder it takes 7+ years to become a doctor and no two doctors will give the exactly same diagnosis unless they often have lunch together.

You want to get crazy? Lets get crazy.

Distal proventral spine of the metatarsus IV featuring medial lamellae interrupted by transverse white pigmentation.

And yes, I made it up, but it should make some sense if you know how to translate it to plain English. You would be even cooler if you can see the anatomy in your head.

 

[The Snark]

Distal proventral

Not..... that bad.... I'd rather view at that glop from across a room than work through it. Reminds me of on the stand giving testimony and the judge queried my terminology 'pocket rocket' so I explained 'a canine chills those scenes like dropping the ice cream while doing tantric maneuvers.' He gave me a distal proventral stare.