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Maratus griseus

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Maratus griseus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Subfamily: Salticinae
Genus: Maratus
Species:
M. griseus
Binomial name
Maratus griseus
(Keyserling, 1882)

Maratus griseus, the white-banded house jumping spider, is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It is found in Australia and New Zealand.

This species can be easily identified by its prominent features as part of the genus Maratus (Peacock Spiders).[1] These spiders are  2 – 6 mm in size, have a rectangular or ovate abdomen, relatively short legs, with fangs or chelicerae which have a single tooth facing forward (retromarginal) and two teeth facing backward (promarginal).[1] They have a rectangular cephalotorax or head (when seen from above) which raises above the rest of the carapace.[1] The head contains four pairs of eyes positioned in a straight horizontal row at the top of the head creating a line of eyes that wraps around the head like a halo, with each pair covering a particular visual angle.[1] This eye positioning gives the spider excellent movement based peripheral vision.[2][3] Furthermore, the frontal pair of eyes appear closer together, more developed, and significantly bigger than the rest of the eye pairs. This provides the spider with excellent binocular vision and particularly good depth perception which is vital in the strategies used by this species to hunt prey.[4]

Maratus griseus are generally brown or black, with the male more often presenting a darker coloration.[5] The males also have a bright reddish-orange band of hairs above and below their eyes as well as thick white hairs which cover their palps; this unusual coloration plays a vital role in the mating rituals of this species.[5] The females conversely appear generally with a dull brown or black colour with only a circular band of white hairs on their head that contrasts with their opaque coloration.[5] This band appears in a shape that can resemble a circle or “halo” around their head.[5]

Geographic Distribution and Habitat

Natural Global Range

This species can be found in both Australia and New Zealand.[5][6] In Australia, it is typically found in the more temperate regions including The Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.[7]

New Zealand Range

In New Zealand this species can be found throughout the North Island as well as the East and West coasts of the South Island, however, it appears to be more prominent on the east coast.[5][6]

Habitat Preferences

This species is very adaptable and can be found from the seashore to the mountains of New Zealand as well as the temperate and subtropical forests of Australia, typically under leaf litter, around leaves, grass, ferns as well as under rocks or logs.[1][6] It is also commonly known to inhabit houses, where it can be spotted while hunting or performing its characteristic mating dances.[6] In addition, this species can occasionally be found in warmer and drier climates like the Australian shrublands and dry grasslands.[7]

Phenology

This species is diurnal, mostly solitary, and has a short lifespan of approximately one year.[8] Its life cycle starts around the austral Spring (December/January) when these spiders hatch, and like other salticid species, it is possible that the young spiders may stay with their mother until shortly after their first molt.[9] However, details about the juvenile phase of this species, which typically occurs between December/January till the end of July, are quite scarce and sightings of these spiders are less common during these times. In August, mature males start to appear more prominently, with the females emerging not long after.[8] It is at this time that the mating and accompanying mating rituals of this species occur.

This species is a member of the genus Maratus (Peacock Spiders) which is known for its complex and flamboyant mating rituals.[8] Even so, this spider has a rather unique mating behavior when compared to other members of its genus.[5] This elaborate mating ritual begins when the male spider spots a female and proceeds with a particular mating dance; the male first stops and faces the direction of the female, then he lifts his third pair of legs to signal her and raises his abdomen in a straight angle from its body while swinging it from side to side.[5] Once recognized by the female, he lowers his legs and starts to approach her very cautiously with zig-zag movements, slowly attempting to circle the female while closing the distance.[5] This is done very warily facing her constantly, as he continues to swing his abdomen from side to side through the whole process.[5] The female at this point may run away which happens a few times; however, she will allow the male to get closer after each subsequent attempt.[5] Once the male gets close enough (just a few centimeters from the female), he will stop the swinging motion of his abdomen and set it down while stretching out his front legs. Subsequently, he will tap the female’s legs and carapace gently with his palps and then attempt to climb on top of her to copulate.[5][8]

However, if the female has already mated, she will reject the male by performing a particular dance that has only been observed in New Zealand spiders.[5] If this is the case, then as soon as the female is made aware of the male’s intentions, she will lift both her legs and abdomen in the same way as the male and then proceed to copy the swinging movement of his abdomen, mirroring him. If this happens, the male will stop his advance, and if the female continues this behaviour while approaching the male, then he will run away.[5] This behavior may signal the male that the female is not interested and might become aggressive should he decide to stay.[8] After the mating season has ended (around December), the females will retreat into their nest to lay and then guard their eggs until they hatch, starting the cycle anew.[8][9]

This species also has a particular behavior when two males are in proximity to each other during the mating season since they perform a “competing dance”.[5] In this case, both males raise their third pairs of legs as well as their abdomens; however, instead of swinging their abdomens from side to side like in the previously described display, they keep them immobile and bent to one side. In addition, the third pair of legs are kept raised as both approach each other, unlike in the mating dance where these are lowered when the male tries to close in on the female. Furthermore, in this instance, the males use both their abdomens and their third pair of legs as signaling devices while advancing toward each other, but they close the distance by zig-zagging.[5] Once the approach is complete and both males are in front of each other they will spread out their third pair of legs, their palps as well as their fangs in a way so that each limb may touch the opponents opposing appendages at the tip. When these make contact typically one male will retreat, and the confrontation will be over.[5] These spiders are not considered territorial since it has been observed that if two males are put together in an enclosure and they complete the competing behavior detailed above, both males will ignore each other afterward and no further agonistic behavior will be present.[5] However, if one or both males are removed from the enclosure and then put again in close proximity to each other the “competing dance” will take place again. The same male that withdrew the first time will keep withdrawing in any subsequent competing dance.[5]

Diet / Prey / Predators

Diet

Spiders in this species generally prey on other invertebrates that can be quite bigger than themselves. Observations of this predatory behavior include various species of flies, moths, and butterflies.[10] The family Salticidae to which this species belongs is also known for eating other spiders as well as any insect that they are able to subdue.[11]

The hunting tactics that these spiders use to catch their prey, much like their mating behavior, are quite unique. Unlike other spiders, this species does not build webs to trap their prey; instead, they actively track it and then ambush it.[2][8] This is possible due to their highly developed eyesight which gives them great binocular vision, excellent depth perception as well as a near 360-degree visual awareness due to the positioning of their eye pairs,[4][12] allowing these spiders to keep a visual lock on their prey as they hunt which also allows them to pounce accurately when in striking distance.[2] Once a prey item has been located, the spider stalks it and approaches it carefully often using its web as a tool to traverse the environment (i.e. using it as a rope to climb down) until the spider is in striking distance.[2] Once in this position, the spider pounces on its prey, grabbing it with its frontal limbs and then, as with any other spider, uses its fangs to inject venom and digestive enzymes which kill the prey and help break it down so the spider may slurp it through its hypodermic fangs.[8][13]

Predators, Parasites, and Diseases

There hasn’t been much species-specific predatory behavior recorded for this species.[14] However, it can be assumed that much like other spiders in its family (Salticidae), it may be preyed upon by birds, small reptiles, and mammals as well as some other invertebrates.[14] However, one parasitoid has been recorded preying upon this spider; Pison peletieri (Mason Wasp).[15] This wasp has been observed to catch Maratus griseus and subsequently drag the spider to its nest. Once the spider has been trapped inside the wasp's nest, the wasp parasitizes the spider by injecting it with its eggs which then hatch inside it and wasp larvae emerge consuming the spider from the inside out.[15]

Other Information

This species as part of the Salticidae family has specific adaptations in its eyes that recently have been better understood.[16] For example, unlike other spider families, they lack the light-sensitive tapeta on the lateral eyes which are made of guanine crystals and function as a mirror that reflects the light that could not be absorbed by the spider’s photoreceptors back into the eyes, giving the light photons another chance to be absorbed.[16] This adaptation significantly increases light sensitivity and allows spiders to see in the dark.[16] The reason why these spiders lack this adaptation is because even though it can provide better light sensitivity, it reduces the spatial resolution due to an increase in the light scattering which would interfere with the clarity and acuity of the image.[16] Since these spiders use their eyesight as their primary sensory organ and require an accurate image to hunt their prey, this would work against them.[16] This may also partly explain why these spiders are mostly diurnal.[8]

Another important adaptation in the Salticidae family is the retinal muscles.[16] This adaptation is not uncommon in the principal set of eyes; however, spiders in this family have six highly-developed retinal muscles allowing them a 50-degree displacement motion on their retina which is significantly higher than in most spiders.[4][16] This means that these spiders can focus with accuracy on objects without having to rotate their body, and this gives them a significant advantage since they do not need to betray their position to prey or potential predators to focus their sight.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Factsheet - Maratus Karsch, 1878". apps.lucidcentral.org. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  2. ^ a b c d Richman, David B.; Jackson, Robert R. (1992). "A review of the ethology of jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae)" (PDF). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society. 9 (2): 33–37 – via Gwern.
  3. ^ "White Banded House Jumper (Maratus griseus)". iNaturalist Australia. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  4. ^ a b c Donovan, Joseph (2010). "Visual Perception in Humans and Jumping Spiders A Comparative Study". IU South Bend Undergraduate Research Journal. 10: 13–17. ISSN 2642-0627.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Forster, R. R.; Forster, L.M. (1975). "Jumping spiders". New Zealand's Nature Heritage. 6 (76): 2114–2117 – via BUGZ.
  6. ^ a b c d "Loading... | Collections Online - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  7. ^ a b "Australian Faunal Directory". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Girard, Madeline B.; Endler, John A. (July 2014). "Peacock spiders". Current Biology. 24 (13): R588–R590. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.05.026. ISSN 0960-9822. PMID 25004358. S2CID 14158235.
  9. ^ a b Rienks, Jane H. (June 2000). "Extended Nest Residence and Cannibalism in a Jumping Spider (Araneae, Salticidae)". Journal of Arachnology. 28 (1): 123–127. doi:10.1636/0161-8202(2000)028[0123:ENRACI]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0161-8202. S2CID 86183571.
  10. ^ "Maratus griseus (Keyserling 1882) data - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  11. ^ Jackson, Robert R. (1977). "Prey of the Jumping Spider Phidippus johnsoni (Araneae: Salticidae)". The Journal of Arachnology. 5 (2): 145–149. ISSN 0161-8202. JSTOR 3705159.
  12. ^ Lim, Matthew L. M.; Li, Daiqin (2006-08-01). "Behavioural evidence of UV sensitivity in jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)". Journal of Comparative Physiology A. 192 (8): 871–878. doi:10.1007/s00359-006-0126-5. ISSN 1432-1351. PMID 16598507. S2CID 2221218.
  13. ^ Uetz, George W. (1992-05-01). "Foraging strategies of spiders". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 7 (5): 155–159. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(92)90209-T. ISSN 0169-5347. PMID 21235991.
  14. ^ a b "jumping spiders data - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  15. ^ a b Early, John W. (2022). "Mason wasps (Pison species, Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Crabronidae) in Aotearoa New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Museum. 56: 63–68. doi:10.32912/ram.2022.56.4. ISSN 1174-9202. JSTOR 48687533. S2CID 248910215.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h Morehouse, Nathan (2020). "Spider vision" (PDF). Current Biology. 30 (17): R975–R980. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.07.042. PMID 32898492. S2CID 221522393 – via cell.

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Further reading

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