Zebra Spider

Stripey zebra jumping spider.

Here’s a particularly adorable jumping spider I found being adorable on a dead tree by the Red River in Oklahoma.  Like most jumpers this fellow did not want to let the camera get close–I’ve cropped the above photo way down so we can all admire his stripey splendor.  This is a member of Salticus, the zebra jumpers, so called for the black and white stripes seen in many species.

This particular species (Salticus austinensis Gertsch; Det. Joe Lapp, 2012) is a conspicuous predator, with an active period in the brightest part of the day that is shorter than many similar jumping spider species it cohabits with.  They prefer large, vertical foraging areas such as walls, rocks faces, or in this case, the broad flat side of a dead tree.  Such well lit, open expanses may help them avoid ambush predators.  (Horner et al 1988)

Jumping spider against tree bark.