Common Zebra Spider (Salticus Scenicus) Advancing Arachnology N I K
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FACT SHEET 10 Common Zebra spider (Salticus scenicus) Advancing Arachnology N i k H u n t A face-full of eyes (female) This is one of the commonest jumping spiders in Britain and can often be spotted hunting on garden walls and fences on warm sunny days. M Middle and back i c h a rows, each with How to recognise a Common Zebra spider e l S two, smaller eyes c Both sexes of this small jumping spider have a distinctive h a e f e appearance of white markings on a dark brown to black r background. Often the white patches meet and form bands across the whole abdomen resulting in a pattern of contrasting stripes, giving the spider its common name of Zebra spider. The dark and white coloration is produced by flattened scales (rather like those on butterfly wings), which in bright sunshine can appear iridescent. Very occasionally an all-black (melanic) variety with no white markings has been Front row of recorded in industrially polluted areas. Even as juveniles, these four large eyes spiders can easily be recognised by their characteristic black and white markings. Chelicerae In common with other particularly so. Two more jumping spiders the pairs of much smaller eyes cephalothorax (front section are set further back. The of the body) is distinctively male has very conspicuously square-fronted and the face elongated chelicerae (jaws). is almost entirely occupied As well as being used in Catching prey by a row of four eyes – all courtship (see below), these Common Zebra spiders do are large, the central pair are often used in fights with not spin a web to catch prey rival males. and are most commonly T o seen actively hunting on n e K sunny surfaces. The spider i l Alert posture of l i c k female showing usually sits motionless until the black and the movement of potential white scales prey is detected by the two pairs of small eyes on each side of the cephalothorax. The spider then turns to face its prey and moves jerkily forwards or backwards. It uses the four large eyes at the front of the head to judge distance accurately, before leaping onto its prey. These Body length: males, 5–6 mm; females, • Legs – fairly short and robust. In males CT 5–7 mm. almost uniformly dark brown to black, FA Colour: generally black or dark brown with in females lighter with dark mottling. LE white markings. Habitat: common in built up areas and FI • Cephalothorax (front section of body) – frequently seen during the day on the walls of buildings, fences and other dark with white markings and a white surfaces warmed by direct sunlight. Common rim. In females, the white can form an Zebra spider X-shaped pattern Prey-catching webs: NONE – these spiders actively hunt their prey. (Salticus scenicus) • Abdomen (back section) – dark with four to five distinct white side bars which may meet in the midline Coloured M E scales v a a r n t i n J o C n o e o s p e r Male showing elongated chelicerae Female line’ to clamber back to its her attention. After mating, starting point, having the female retires to a completed the spider version sheltered site under stones or of a ‘bungee’ jump! Any debris to spin a tangled insect or other spider that retreat in which she will lay comes near enough, provided between 15 and 25 eggs it is not too large to be protected within a silk egg- overpowered, is fair game. sac. The female guards the This tiny spider can jump up eggs until they hatch three or What’s in a name? to 10 cm and take prey four weeks later. She cares • salticus comes from Latin several times its own size. for the hatched spiderlings and means ’dancing’ or (baby spiders) until they ’jumping’, referring to its Life history moult, and then abandons hunting behaviour Adult males are usually found them to make their own way from April to July, and in the world. Between • scenicus translates from females from March to emerging from the egg-sac Greek to mean ‘theatrical’ October. Mating usually and reaching adulthood, the or ’scenic’ and refers to occurs in late spring or early growing spiders shed their the striking black and summer. During courtship the skins (moult) up to 9 or 10 white, zebra-like pattern. male performs a jerky, times. After their zig–zagging dance in front of penultimate moult they eyes, which perceive colour, the female, extending and overwinter as sub-adults, allow high resolution waving his forelegs and becoming adult the following binocular vision and fine unwieldy chelicerae to grab spring. focussing. Female with (large) prey A d Zebra spiders can be tempted a m O to jump by presenting them p i o ł a with a fly or other small insect held in a pair of fine forceps. Attempts at close-up photography often end up with the spider leaping onto the camera. Before jumping, the spider attaches to the substrate a line of silk, which is paid out as it launches itself forwards. Should the leap be unsuccessful the spider simply uses its ‘safety in appearance, and are also are and appearance, in zebraneus habitats. The former tends to tends former The habitats. different rather occupy usually they but spiders, Zebra as known generally cingulatus species, related Two R is spider Zebra Common The H rocks and the bark of trees. of bark the and rocks posts, fence on environment built the from away found be however, can, It crevice. or hole a in built cell, silken a into retreats it weather dull in and night At presence. its to clue another are substrate the over silk of lines Crisscross it. betray often movements jerky its where sunlight direct by warmed surfaces vertical on noticeable particularly is It day. the during places similar and rockeries fences, walls, on hunts it where buildings other and houses around widespread elated species elated abitat , are quite similar quite are , and Salticus or on Twitter on or at: us Find and appreciation of arachnids, and to promote their conservation. their promote to and arachnids, of appreciation and understanding wider the advance to education and science use We relatives. Registered Charity - England and Wales No. 260346; Scotland No. SC044090 No. Scotland 260346; No. Wales and England - Charity Registered their and spiders to exclusively devoted charity only Britain’s is BAS The T britishspiders.org.uk/srs_salticus_scenicus F Bee, L., Oxford, G. & Smith, H. (2017) H. Smith, & G. Oxford, L., Bee, britishspiders.org.uk/srs_salticus_zebraneus britishspiders.org.uk/srs_salticus_cingulatus or more information information more or he British Arachnological Society Arachnological British he Salticus www.britishspiders.org.uk @BritishSpiders be confined to the trunks of trunks the to confined be virtually confined to the to confined virtually While bushes. and plants tall and trees, conifer to latter the and posts), fence on (occasionally trees other jumping spider species, spider jumping other Two habitation. human with associated spider jumping commonest the far by corridor. 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Princeton i east likely ossible kely 7 1 0 2 a t a d e m e h c S g n i d r o c e R r e d i p S n o d e s a B Factsheet text by Lawrence Bee, Geoff Oxford and Helen Smith, edited by Nicky Rowbottom, designed by Colin Edwards Graphic Design .