The Aelurillus spider is a genus of spiders that belongs to the family Salticidae (jumping spiders). While this jumping spider species tend to move unobtrusively and relatively slow, they can execute very agile jumps when hunting prey or evading predators.
Compared to other anthropods, the Aelurillus jumping spider has one of the best vision, and that’s all thanks to their four impressive set of eyes, which comes alive when stalking prey or spotting predators. The Aelurillus spider family boasts more than 500 described genera, with about 5,000 described species. This makes it the largest family of jumping spiders,
Read on to find other exceptional details about the Aerurillus jumping spiders and why they are such an intelligent species in the spider world.
What is their scientific name?
We weren’t able to find a general name for our spider friend during our research, so it’s difficult to say exactly what this spider is commonly referred to. That said, we came across some brilliant scientific name that is associated with our furry friend. As per the scientific name, our leaper friend is called the Aerurillus jumping spider.
Like other jumping spiders, this one has many physical attributes and unique habits you’ll learn of shortly. Stay with us as we explore the physical description and size of our spider friend.
Physical description and size
Identifying the Aerurillus jumping spider isn’t so tricky because of its unique physical description and size.
To start with, our leaper friends are stout, furry, and squat shaped. Females of this jumping spider species often sport a uniformly mottled and sandy-brown body. On the flip side, males appear to look black with a unique pattern around their abdomen. Plus, they have light and annulated legs, which aids them to jump up to 30 times their bodies’ length.
Thanks to their four great pairs of eyes, our spider friends boast of some of the best vision in the spider world. With their impressive eyesight, our spider friends can stalk their prey and spot predators from some distance away, giving them the chance to evade potential threats.
Where are they from?
If you’re interested in a jumping spider that can thrive in most environments, you’ll not be disappointed to check out the Aelurillus jumping spider. Because of their ability to thrive in harsh environments, our spider friends have become distributed in most territories, so you’re likely to spot them outside their natural locations.
To be specific, the Aelurillus jumping spider occurs in Africa and the Palaearctic. Today, a few known species like the A. improvisus and A. minimontanus are frequently sighted in India. While other species like A. Kronestedti and A. quadrimaculatus are spotted in Sri Lanka, the Aelurillus subfestivus is typically found in Japan.
Unique habits and behaviors
Our spider friends have some unique behaviors and habits you’ll want to check out. To begin with, the jumping spiders in this genus mainly prey and feast on ants.
Plus, some species of this jumping spider, especially those in the Southeast Asian region, have been observed to jump nearly 30 to 40 times their body length straight onto the path of big gnaphosid spiders to feast on them.
Additionally, the Aelurillus jumping spider loves to stay in dry, hot, small bare open areas and stony places with dead twigs or limited vegetations.
Habitat and distribution
Even though our spider friends can thrive very well in temperate and tropical regions, they seem to love the thrill they experience on dry grounds. This explains why you’ll commonly sight our spider friends in dry, stony places, hot areas, or locations with limited vegetation.
Diet/feeding
Thanks to their brilliant vision and impeccable jumping skills, our leaper friends will patiently stalk their prey and take on them with their devastating jumping skills.
In the wild, the Aelurillus will feast on small and large insects, including flies, mosquitoes, moths, crickets, gnaphosid spiders, and other insects that cross its path.
While other jumping spiders will avoid ants because some ants tend to have some lethal chemicals that can harm jumping spiders, the Aelurillus seem to prefer ants to other insects in the wild.
And because they are fantastic jumpers, they can quickly get away from impending dangers posed by predators.
If you decide you’d like to raise this jumping spider in captivity, you have to make sure it feeds properly. So getting your spider friend feeder insects from pet stores close to you wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
What is their temperament?
Undoubtedly, jumping spiders such as the Aelurillus jumping spider have displayed vicious behaviors towards their prey. That said, when it comes to human relations, our leaper friends are super friendly to humans. When they come in contact with humans, their first instinct is to get away.
The Aelurillus jumping spider will make a great pet because of its friendly nature, especially for exotic pet lovers who would love to add it to their collection.
Is it dangerous or venomous to humans?
Our leaper friends are vicious hunters who will take on small and large insects. Thanks to their potent venom, the Aelurillus jumping spider is capable of incapacitating its prey. That said, our spider friends aren’t dangerous to humans. Plus, their venom doesn’t pose any threat to humans. And even if you get bitten by this spider, the most you’ll experience is mild pain and slight irritations that subsides after a couple of days.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Aelurrilus jumping spider bite?
While most jumping spiders rarely bite, the Aelurillus jumping spider will bite if it feels threatened or handled roughly. So if you plan to handle this spider, we would advise you to carry it gently. Also, try not to startle it, or you may end up with a painful bite.
What do they feed on?
Although the Aelurillus jumping spider will feed on small and large insects, it has a particular interest in ants, little wonder why it is sometimes called the ant-eating jumping spider. Outside ants, our fuzzy friend will feed on flies, mosquitoes, crickets, and more.
Do they use webs for hunting?
Like other jumping spiders, the Aelurillus jumping spider doesn’t use webs for hunting; instead, it uses its impeccable vision to stalk prey and pounce on it using its powerful jumping skills.
