Peacock Spider
The peacock spider (Maratus volans) is a tiny Australian jumping spider, about five millimeters long, whose males unfold brightly colored flaps on the abdomen and wave their legs in a courtship dance.
The peacock spider (Maratus volans) is a tiny Australian jumping spider, about five millimeters long, whose males unfold brightly colored flaps on the abdomen and wave their legs in a courtship dance.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Peacock Spider in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Ecdysozoa lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
A Courtship Dance
The male lifts his colorful abdominal fan and raises his third legs while vibrating and shuffling in front of a female. If she is not impressed, she may attack him. Dances differ between species.
Structural Color
The brilliant blues and reds come from microscopic ridges and scales that scatter light, not from pigments alone. Researchers study them to make new optical materials. See Indian Peafowl.
Many New Species
Dozens of peacock spider species have been described in recent years, many by Australian naturalist Jürgen Otto, who filmed their displays. See Zebra Jumping Spider.
Peacock Spider at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Maratus volans |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum | Chelicerata |
| Class | Arachnida |
| Order | Araneae |
| Family | Salticidae |
| Field Guide group | Ecdysozoa: Arachnida (Spiders, Scorpions & Allies) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Tiny Australian hunter only 5 mm long whose males unfurl iridescent blue, orange, and red lateral abdominal flaps like a fan while waving tufted third legs in a courtship dance. |
| Family | Salticidae |
| Size | About 5 millimeters |
See Also
- Indian Peafowl — a bird with a showy display
- Zebra Jumping Spider — another jumping spider