Hentzia jumping spiders are a genus of spiders that belong to the family Salticidae and the subfamily Dendryphantinae.
While they are widely spread across North America and Southern America, they are mostly sighted in the Caribbean and surrounding areas. That said, most species that make this genus of spider mainly occur in Cuba, with the country alone responsible for seven species of our leaper friends.
Some outlier species like the Hentzia fimbriata and Henztia poenitens are commonly sighted in western North America. Although this jumping spider species looks very much like the Anicius jumping spider, they both have some distinct features that differentiate them.
Read on as we get into more exclusive details about the Hentzia jumping spider and why they are such a unique genus of jumping spider.
What is their scientific name?
By now, you should know that most jumping spiders have a common name they go by, and for our leaper friends, they are commonly referred to as the crowned Hentzia jumping spiders. Besides their common name, they are scientifically referred to as the Hentzia jumping spiders.
Like most jumping spiders we have come across, Hentzia jumping spiders are pretty smart and display elaborate behaviors that are very common among our leaper friends. If you’d love to learn more about our leaper friend’s unique features and size, you’d want to read further as we have put together detailed information about their physical attributes.
Physical description and size
Like we mentioned earlier, our leaper friends are members of Salticidae, a unique family of jumping spiders. In terms of size, our spider friends are tiny and measure between 5 and 7 mm. But despite their small size, Hentzia jumping spiders are daring and will take on both predators and prey alike.
They sport dark and coppery red hairs that resemble a crown on their head. Likewise, most of them have a dominant shade of brown or black across their body. Thanks to their unique appearance, you can easily identify them from a pack of spiders.
Together with their long legs and excellent eyesight, our leaper friends will patiently seek out their prey and pounce on them with utmost precision.
This genus of jumping spiders has females with hair pencils just below the posterior of their medial eyes. Plus, they have spatulate hairs on the ventral margin of their distal femur and first patella.
While the Anicius jumping spider looks a lot like the Henztia jumping spider, the structure of their palpi and epigyna differs a great deal.
Where are they from?
Even though the Hentzia jumping spider has been sighted in most countries worldwide, it mainly occurs in North America and Southern America. Today, our leaper friends have been sighted in the Caribbeans as well as other surrounding areas. Most jumping spiders who make up this genus have been spotted in Cuba, even as experts report that the country alone houses seven species of our leaper friends.
If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of the Hentzia jumping spider, then we suggest you look among leaf litter or on the ground outside. And just like other jumping spiders, you can sometimes find the Hentzia jumping spider indoors as they like to come indoors in search of food.
Although they aren’t considered dangerous, their swift jumping can leave you startled.
Diet/food
Using their brilliant vision and extraordinary jumping skills, our spider friends can fend for themselves in the wild, as these skills come in pretty handy when hunting down prey.
Sure, our leaper friends are harmless when they encounter humans, but once they spot their prey, they become vicious and pounce on their prey with utmost precision. When they are hungry, they wander from place to place and sometimes come indoors to search for food.
Our leaper friends will feast on both small and large insects, including flies, mosquitoes, aphids, ants, and small web-building spiders in the wild. And when they aren’t hunting down prey, their jumping skills will prove super important when they come across predators.
With their superb jumping skills, our leaper friends can quickly get away from predators without any hassle. Plus, their insane vision allows them to spot predators from some distance away, giving them enough time to getaway.
Courtship behavior
Adult males of this jumping spider species showcase elaborate courtship display. And guess what, they also engage in ritualistic and agnostic displays. Over the years, popular jumping spider species like the Hentzia mitrata, Hentzia palmarum, and Hentzia antillana have displayed unique courtship displays, including spreading their front legs and arching their abdomen at an angle of 30 degrees above the substrate.
The males of this jumping spider have been seen to display courtship behavior from 3-4 cm distance from their female counterparts.
What is their temperament?
One thing you can’t take away from our spider friends is their friendly nature. While they are aggressive towards their prey and will pounce on them without a second thought, they are generally harmless and shy away when they come across humans.
Thanks to their friendly demeanor and unique spider antics, many people will enjoy keeping them as pets.
Is it dangerous or venomous to humans?
Jumping spiders are capable of viciously attacking their prey. And when they do, they have potent venom that can incapacitate their prey. Thankfully, their venom isn’t harmful to humans. So should you ever get bitten by our furry friends, you have nothing to worry about. And except you handle them roughly or they feel threatened, most jumping spiders rarely bite.
Frequently asked questions: Learn more about the Hentzia jumping spiders.
Are they aggressive?
Like all jumping spiders, the Hentzia jumping spider displays aggressive tendencies toward prey. That said, they are friendly and harmless when they come across humans. And except they feel threatened, they will always maintain their calm.
Do they live long?
Because most jumping spiders have a very short lifespan, the Hentzia jumping spider will live for six months to one year.
What do they eat?
Our spider friends will feed on small and large insects like flies, ants, aphids, mosquitoes, small web-building spiders, and their eggs.
