Tan Jumping Spider: How to Identify

The Tan jumping spider is a relatively small, furry arachnid with a most peculiar feature – two massive front-facing eyes giving them a more mammalian look. All eight of their eyes form an almost uninterrupted circle along their heads, providing near 360-degree vision, and their brownish body coloration helps to camouflage the environment.

Tan jumping Spider: Description.

Like other jumping spiders, the Tan Jumping spider (Platycryptus undatus) is covered in fur and has two forward-facing goggle-like eyes that give it remarkable vision. It moves in a peculiarly jerky gait while also being gifted with extraordinary jumping abilities.

It’s spinning of silk includes creating a single tether line for additional security when exploring or traversing long distances and making cocoons to protect itself and its eggs from harm.

Females measure up to ⅝ inch in length (not including legs), while male counterparts typically reach no more than ⅜ inch.

The tan jumping spider is highly skilled at blending into its environment, featuring grays, tans, and browns that often contain flecks of black and white plus — in some cases — a reddish hue. Its look can range from zebra-like stripes to an even, gray pattern across its body; the abdomen also typically features undulating shapes for extra camouflage.

In addition, these spiders’ bodies are unusually flattened, which further aids in their concealment when necessitated.

The tan jumping spider’s pedipalps, those finger-shaped appendages close to the face, are usually encased in fuzz and pure white. Males have chelicerae (fangs that the pedipalps may conceal) that boast long, white hairs, while female chelicerae appear black and glistening with no hair present.

Tan jumping spider: Range

The Tan Jumping Spider, native to the eastern USA, can often be found on vertical surfaces such as tree trunks, fences, and even walls in human dwellings. They are typically harmless but will bite if handled roughly.

If a predator is near enough, however, these agile creatures may attempt an escape by leaping away at high speed! Most commonly, though, they reside inside the peeling bark of shagbark hickories, where their eggs, too, are vulnerable to being eaten by birds or reptiles, mammals, or wasps alike.

Tan jumping spiders: Behavior

Tan Jumping spiders rely on their impressive eyesight to identify nearby prey, like arachnids and insects. Upon sighting a target, these agile predators leap forward with great speed and voracity to begin enjoying the feast they have caught.

When the Tan jumping spider aims wrong, the consequences can be fatal.

Because Tan jumping spiders have excellent vision, they can communicate with each other through movement. Instead, male jumping spiders court females by waving their limbs and tapping on the ground. Females lay their eggs in silk cocoons under tree bark to protect them from predators and the elements.