Garden Jumping Spider: Opisthoncus parcedentatus

Location: Bunbury, Western Australia 

Season: Summer 

Class: Arachnida 

Order: Araneae 

Suborder: Araneomorphae 

Family: Salticidae 

Genus: Opisthoncus

Opisthoncus parcedentatus

Genus Opisthoncus, of the family Salticidae has 25 described species in Australia and many non described ones. They are all Common Garden Jumping Spiders. O. parcedentatus is a common species found in Australia. It is usually seen on the leaves, trees and green foliage. The shape of the abdomen and cephalothorax are characteristic. The dark brown abdomen has white markings with one longitudinal stripe running along the midline of the dorsum. There are white marking on the cephalothorax too. There is a thin white moustache on the clypeus. There is an orange horizontal stripe on which the eyes seem to be arranged. It has 8 eyes for a 360 degree view. Its vision and movement are helped by very mobile joint between the cephalohorax and abdomen. It lifts its head and scans behind to look for food and danger. 

The above spider was found on undersurface of a leaf. It was 5mm in length. It was very agile and actively jumping. Jumping spiders don't weave webs and wander from place to place. They are active predators of other tiny insects. 

Reference: Brisbane Insects

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