Maevia inclemens

Maevia inclemens
Male Maevia inclemens - gray morph
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Subfamily: Salticinae
Genus: Maevia
Species:
M. inclemens
Binomial name
Maevia inclemens
(Walckenaer, 1837)
Synonyms

12 synonyms[a]

Maevia inclemens or the dimorphic jumping spider[1] is a relatively common and colorful jumping spider of North America. In the males there are two forms, a very rare phenomenon in zoology.[2] These use different courting displays,[3]: 3-4  and differ in appearance: the "tufted" morph has a black body and pedipalps ("palps"), three black tufts across its "head", and pale legs; and the "gray" morph has black and white stripes all over its body and legs, orange palps, and no tufts.[2] However, each form accounts for 50% of the adult males, and they are equally successful in mating. A female of Maevia inclemens is 6.5 to 8.0 millimetres (0.26 to 0.31 in) long, while males are 4.75 to 6.50 millimetres (0.187 to 0.256 in) long.[3]: 3-4 

Like all jumping spiders, M. inclemens has excellent vision. The main eyes, in the front-and-center position, are large, and are more acute than those of a cat and about 10 times as acute as a dragonfly's. The remaining three pairs of eyes are along the sides of the head, and work as motion detectors. The eyes are used for hunting, for avoiding threats and for finding mates.

Maevia inclemens is one of the eight species in genus Maevia.[4] The species was first called Attus inclemens, and other names have been used. The two male forms look and behave so differently that they were originally considered two distinct species. In 1955 Robert Barnes chose M. inclemens,[3]: 1  and this has become the standard name.[4]

The species is found in south-eastern Canada, and in the eastern United States. M. inclemens is frequently seen on man-made structures such as outbuildings or fences.

  1. ^ Clark, David L. (1994). "Sequence Analysis of Courtship Behavior in the Dimorphic Jumping Spider Maevia inclemens (Araneae, Salticidae)". The Journal of Arachnology. 22 (2): 94–107. ISSN 0161-8202.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ClarkBiesiadecki2002Dimorphic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Barnes1955NoviMaevia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference PlatnickEtcCatalMaevia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).