Emerald Jumper
Salticidae—Jumping Spiders
(Paraphidippus aurantius)
Paraphidippus aurantius ranges from Delaware to Nebraska and south to Florida and Arizona.
Description
Paraphidippus aurantius male. Photo by Henry Kindervatter, BugGuide.net, photo# 1396769
Paraphidippus aurantius is quite variable in appearance, owing somewhat to the iridescent scales that appear as different colors depending on the observer's point of view. Additionally, the color of some of the markings can range from a light golden brown to white.
The female has a band of light-colored scales extending from the eyes around the lateral margins of the cephalothorax and also around the sides of the abdomen. The dorsal surfaces of both the cephalothorax and abdomen are a light reddish-brown with iridescent green scales. The eyes are surrounded by a patch of black scales. The abdomen has four pairs of white spots—the third pair elongated laterally—and orange spots midway on the sides of the abdomen. The legs are brown, with the first pair having black bands. Males are much darker, which makes the abdominal spots stand out while the orange spots are harder to see. Females are 8 to 12 millimeters long, while males are 7 to 10 millimeters in length.
Life History/Behavior
Little is known of this spider's life history. It is found in both rural and suburban wooded locations and most often observed in the fall when crawling on the exterior or interior of buildings. It shelters within a silken retreat that is created in a folded leaf.
Medical Importance
As with other jumping spiders, this species is most likely not medically important.
References
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Baerg, W. J. 1959. The Black Widow and Five Other Venomous Spiders in the United States. Ark. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 608. 43 pp.
Bradley, R. A. 2013. Common Spiders of North America. University of California Press. 271 pp.
Breene, R. G., et al. 2003. Common Names of Arachnids. 5th ed. The American Arachnological Society Committee on Common Names of Arachnids. 42 pp.
Gertsch, W. J., and F. Ennik. 1983. "The spider genus Loxosceles in North America, Central America, and the West Indies (Araneae, Loxoscelidae)." Bul Amer Mus. Nat. Hist. 175: 24–360.
Herms, W. B., and M. T. James. 1961. Medical Entomology. 5th ed. The Mac-Millan Company, New York. 616 pp.
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Kaston, B. J. 1972. How to Know the Spiders. 3rd ed. Wm. C. Brown Company, Dubuque, Iowa. 272 pp.
Levi, H. W. 1959. "The Spider Genus Latrodectus (Araneae, Theridiidae)." Trans. Amer. Microscopical Soc. 78(1): 7–43.
Long, D., R. Snetsinger, and K. F. Helm. 1995. "Localized Pruritic Rash Due to Recurrent Spider Bites." J. Geriatr. Dermatol. 3(6): 186–190.
McKeown, N., R. S. Vetter, and R. G. Hendrickson. 2014. "Verified spider bites in Oregon (USA) with the intent to assess hobo spider venom toxicity." Toxicon 84: 51–55.