Phidippus octopunctatus

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iPhidippus octopunctatus

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Suborder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Salticidae
Genus:	Phidippus
Species:	P. octopunctatus

Binomial name

Phidippus octopunctatus
(Peckham & Peckham, 1883)

Synonyms

Attus octo-punctatus
Attus opifex
Phidippus opifex
Parnaenus griseus
Dendryphantes octopunctatus
Dendryphantes opifex

Phidippus octopunctatus is a jumping spider that occurs in the USA and Mexico, mostly in the Great Basin Desert. It is among the largest jumping spiders found in North America, approaching 25 in body length. They are gray to brownish-gray in color.

Unlike Phidippus californicus, which lives in the same habitat, it builds a large and prominent nest among the branches of a bush to house its egg cocoon.^[1]

Adult males, unmated adult and subadult females can be found in late August.

P. octopunctatus has been observed to hunt large prey, such as grasshoppers and bees.^[1]

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Gardner, B.T. (1965). Observations on Three Species of Phidippus Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae). Psyche 72:133-147 PDF (Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license) (P. californicus = P. coccineus, P. apacheanus, P. octopunctatus = P. opifex)

Peckham, G.W. & Peckham, E. G. (1883). Descriptions of new or little known spiders of the family Attidae from various parts of the United States of North America. Milwaukee, 1-35.
Edwards, G.B. (2004). Revision of the jumping spiders of the genus Phidippus (Araneae: Salticidae). Occas. Pap. Florida State Collect. Arthropods 11:1-156.