Family SALTICIDAE Blackwall, 1841

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Introduction

Jumping spiders, the salticids, are a diverse component of the Australian fauna, with 339 species described and possibly a further 1000 species present. The family is found in all terrestrial and arboreal habitats throughout Australia and its territories, except the sub-antarctic islands. The fauna is highly endemic, especially in central and western parts of the continent. The salticid faunas of the tropical and coastal habitats of eastern and northern Australia show a strong New Guinean and Oriental influence. Some species are cosmotropical in distribution, one is trans-Pacific and ranges of a few extend to New Caledonia and New Zealand (Zabka 1990, 2002). The genera Bathippus, Viroqua and Thorelliola (no known Australian species), and Trite, Muziris, Salpesia and Heliophanus (misplaced species), are often listed as present in Australia although this is incorrect (Richardson & Zabka, this work). The species, Viroqua ultima (L. Koch, 1881), for which the type locality is reported as 'Australia?' is from Upolu, W Samoa (Zabka, unpubl.). The New Guinea species, Zenodorus juliae, is not know from any Australian specimen.

Salticids are skilful jumpers that use their excellent vision to hunt in daylight. Some Australian salticid genera (Myrmarachne, Damoetas, Ligonipes, Rhombonotus, Judalana) mimic ants. Others are beetle (Coccorchestes) or fly (Abracadabrella) mimics. Many species may supplement their diet with nectar (Jackson et al. 2001). The behaviour of many Australian species has been studied by Jackson and his co-workers. A good summary of the general ecology and behaviour of jumping spiders can be found in Forster & Forster (1999). Pictures and drawings of many Australian species can be found in Proszynski (2003) and Nieuwenhuys (2003).

Diagnosis

Tiny to large entelegyne spiders. The body compact, sometimes robust, 1–25 mm in length. The eyes are arranged in 3 (4+2+2) or 4 (2+2+2+2) rows; the anterior median eyes much larger than the other pairs. The cephalothorax usually rectangular, less frequently oval or elongate, usually with distinctive fovea. The abdomen variously shaped, sometimes with dorsal scutes. Spinnerets terminal or subterminal, segments unequal in length. Chelicerae parallel to vertical, retrolateral margin with one tooth (undentati), bi/multicuspidate tooth (fissidentati) or multiple teeth (pluridentati). Legs with 2 claws, from short and stout, to very long and thin (up to 4.5 cm long). The first legs usually are more massive than the others, 3rd or 4th usually the longest. Distal podomeres on 1st and 2nd legs with ventral spines on tibiae and metatarsi. Copulatory organs from simple to very complicated, providing good diagnostic characters, though in some distant genera the genitalia may be very similar.

References

Forster, R. & Forster, L. 1999. Spiders of New Zealand and their Worldwide Kin. Otago : University of Otago Press

Jackson, R.R., Pollard, S.D., Nelson, X.J., Edwards, G.B. & Barrion, A.T. 2001. Jumping spiders (Araneae : Salticidae) that feed on nectar. Journal of Zoology, London 255: 25-29

Nieuwenhuys, E. 2003. Salticidae of Australia. http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/australian/Spidaus.html

Proszynski, J. 2003. Salticidae (Araneae) of the World (Version July 2003). http://www.salticidae.org/salticid/main.htm

Zabka, M. 1990. Remarks on Salticidae (Araneae) of Australia. Acta Zoologica Fennica 190: 415-418

Zabka, M. 2002. Zoogeography of Salticidae (Arachnida : Araneae) of New Zealand. Annales Zoologici Warszawa 52: 459-464