Peacock Spiders are Jumping Spiders, belonging to the large family of arachnids known for their incredible vision and athletic prowess. These tiny, fascinating creatures have captured attention due to their vibrant colors and elaborate movements. Their shared traits and specialized adaptations show how a common evolutionary background can lead to different expressions of form and behavior.
The Taxonomic Relationship
Peacock spiders belong to the genus Maratus, a specialized branch within the family Salticidae, commonly known as jumping spiders. Salticidae is the largest family of spiders, containing nearly 700 genera and over 6,000 described species. This means every peacock spider is classified as a jumping spider, but the reverse is not true.
The classification hierarchy places them as spiders (Order Araneae), belonging to the family Salticidae, with the most famous species under the genus Maratus. Molecular and morphological analysis confirms their close relationship to other genera. This placement establishes the peacock spider as a geographically restricted and highly ornamented subgroup of the wider jumping spider lineage.
Characteristics Shared by All Jumping Spiders
The Salticidae family, including the peacock spider, is defined by shared anatomical and behavioral features, most notably an unparalleled visual system. Jumping spiders possess eight eyes, with the large pair of principal anterior median eyes dominating the front of their face. These large, forward-facing eyes provide high-resolution, three-dimensional vision, which is among the sharpest in the arthropod world.
This acute vision is employed in their characteristic hunting style: stalking and pouncing rather than using a snare web. They are active, diurnal hunters, using their sight to stalk prey and leap with high precision over distances many times their body length. The jump is powered not by large muscles, but by rapidly increasing the hydraulic pressure of fluid in their legs. When preparing for a jump, the spider anchors a silk dragline to the surface, serving as a safety tether.
The Unique Display and Courtship of Peacock Spiders
While they share the foundational traits of jumping spiders, the species in the genus Maratus are famous for their extreme sexual dimorphism and complex courtship rituals. Male peacock spiders are strikingly colorful, featuring iridescent scales on their abdomen and often elongated third pairs of legs. Females, in contrast, are typically drab, presenting in shades of brown or beige.
The male’s courtship is a high-stakes, multi-modal performance involving visual, vibrational, and motion signals to impress a female. When a female is located, the male produces vibrations, sometimes called “rumble-rumps,” that travel through the substrate to capture her attention. He then raises his abdomen and unfolds specialized lateral flaps, or the operculum, which bear brilliant, species-specific color patterns.
The display continues with the male executing precise, rhythmic movements, including waving his ornamented third pair of legs and twitching his colorful abdomen. This intricate dance is a test of fitness. If the female is not sufficiently impressed, she may reject the male or, commonly among spiders, attack and consume him. The male must perform flawlessly, sometimes for up to 50 minutes, to ensure his survival and reproductive success.