![]() They get their name from their colourful abdomens Often males will smartly jump away immediately after mating, though! 3. If the female peacock spider is not interested in the male as they have already mated, she can attempt to kill and feed on him.Įven if successful in the dance routine, female peacock spiders do occasionally take part in sexual cannibalism, where they will eat them after copulation. Females can take part in sexual cannibalism If the male does not get the message a female is unwilling to mate, then the female may then attack and feed on the male, particularly if it’s hungry. Females only mate once in their life, so will often ignore or jump away from males that don’t realise or care that they’ve already mated. If he is successful, the female will let him mate, but contrary to the video below they won’t always kill the males they don’t like. The vibrations he makes with his legs also attract females, who can be picky when it comes to choosing a mate. The background of his abdomen is usually a deep black colour and this makes the bright colours stand out, seeming incredibly bright. He also waves his third legs into the air and performs his dance by drumming on the surface with his legs and performing intricate jumps and dance moves. Here, he expands and raises his abdomen so that it is facing the female. He usually chooses a suitable platform before beginning his dance, so as to give the best affects possible. In order to mate, male peacock spiders will perform a ‘dance routine’ by showing off their peacock fan-like abdomen. Over 100 species of peacock spider have been identified since their elaborate courtship dances and bright coloration became more well-known. In fact, there were fewer than ten known species recorded prior to 2011. Peacock spiders are so small that studying their behaviour in the wild can be difficult. Usually by touching the silk line with his legs, the pair begin their mating ritual. Males are able to tell from chemicals in this silk line if the female is ready to mate. During this time, the female, who is coloured a shade of brown, leaves behind a silk line which is produced from her abdomen. ![]() While peacock spiders are mostly solitary and are not found in large numbers in a single place, they do come together to mate. This allows them to pounce on insects, such as flies, moths and crickets before they fly or jump away and also makes them very difficult for predators to catch. Unsurprisingly they also have well developed colour vision and are able to distinguish between different shades much like many birds can.Īs well as their eyesight, peacock spiders can jump tremendously far, sometimes over 40 times their body length. The have eight eyes which give them excellent vision as well as depth perception. However, the male might be eaten by the female he is trying to attract if they are unwilling to mate and continue to provoke them.ĭespite their size, peacock spiders are excellent, and extremely agile, hunters. ![]() The purpose of this unusual coloration is to attract females, which seem entranced by the bright patterns and dancing display of the males. Modified hairs on their bodies, form brightly colored, shiny scales in varying patterns and colors of blue, red, yellow, purple and orange. Peacock spiders get their name from the beautiful colors that the males exhibit on their abdomen. They prefer areas where there is leaf litter or grass to hide in but are also found on sand dunes and in semi-arid deserts. These miniature spiders reside in a variety of habitats, although some species are more particular about where they live than others. Males have brightly coloured abdomens of blue, red and yellow. Grassland, woodland, dry scrub, sand dunes and forestĪustralia. Most species’ males are known for the incredible, iridescent coloration on their abdomens, which they use to attract females through a unique courtship ‘dancing’ routine. ![]() They are tiny spiders, often less than 4mm long and the size of a small grain of rice. They belong to the genus Maratus, which is thought to contain 108 species in total. Peacock spiders are a type of jumping spider that is most commonly found in southern Australia, though one species can also be found in China. ![]()
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