peacock spider!

[Tindalos]

The Peacock spider or Gliding spider (Maratus volans) is a species of jumping spider. The red, blue and black colored males have flap-like extensions of the abdomen with white hairs that can be folded down. They are used for display during mating: the male raises his abdomen, then expands and raises the flaps so that the abdomen forms a white-fringed, circular field of color. The species, and indeed the whole genus Maratus have been compared to peacocks in this respect. The third pair of legs is also raised for display, showing a brush of black hairs and white tips. While approaching the female, the male will then vibrate raised legs and tail, and dance from side to side.

<links to pictures only:>
http://www.lazypalace.com/img/bizarre-and-odd/peacock-spider/peacock-spider01.jpg
http://www.lazypalace.com/img/bizarre-and-odd/peacock-spider/peacock-spider02.jpg
http://www.lazypalace.com/img/bizarre-and-odd/peacock-spider/peacock-spider03.jpg
http://www.lazypalace.com/img/bizarre-and-odd/peacock-spider/peacock-spider04.jpg

 

[Abby]

wow! it's so tiny and pretty

 

[Teal]

How cute is THAT!

 

[keithb]

Wow! I want one

 

[Sterlingspider]

BUH!

I'd never seen the scale pic before, just the closeups. What a ridiculous cutie!

 

[Xian]

That is a beautiful spider!!

This should be posted in the 'True spiders and other Arachnids' .

 

[TheTyro]

Terribly cute! I am always amazed at the pure diversity of spiders, they are so beautiful. Reminds me of the bird of paradise display.

 

[Moltar]

That's a pretty dang beautiful spider. That site has some nasty, invasive malware though...

 

[ZergFront]

I saw this on Ugly Overload. Why it was there I will never know... :?

 

[gunslinger]

Where is its abdomen? Behind the peacock tail thing? From the picture it looks like it is just a face with feathers. Still freaking sweet.

 

[Cigarman]

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/australian/salticidae/Peacock_spider_Maratus_volans.htm

found some more revealing images here. Neat spider.

 

[Fyreflye]

I think the female is attractive as well, but the colors on the male are WOW!

 

[Avicularia Man]

It sure would be nice to have a breeding pair of those.

 

[ZergFront]

It sure would be nice to have a breeding pair of those.

I wouldn't want to feed the babies. I thought zebra babies were hard enough. LOL!

 

[xhexdx]

Here's a video:

[YOUTUBE]9GgAbyYDFeg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[toast4nat]

That is just incredible, it's something you'd commonly see birds doing not spiders! And those things are just so cute, they have human-like expressions!

 

[ZergFront]

Thanks for sharing the video, Joe. Man, they should just say adios to Shorty and his pitbulls and put more videos like these on Animal Planet.

 

[Sidi]

Where is its abdomen? Behind the peacock tail thing? From the picture it looks like it is just a face with feathers. Still freaking sweet.

It looks like it held up vertical with the feathers?

 

[fartkowski]

That's pretty cool.
Thanks for the video Joe.

 

[xhexdx]

My friend Tony sent it to me, suggested I share it here. Thank him instead.

Yeah, the abdomen is being lifted vertically and the flaps on the sides are extended.