Phidippus audax

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iPhidippus audax
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Family: Salticidae Genus: Phidippus Species: P. audax
Binomial name
Phidippus audax (Hentz, 1845)
Synonyms
Salticus variegatus Attus morsitans Attus audax Phidippus togatus Attus tripunctatus Attus fasciolatus Phidippus variegatus Phidippus smaragdifer Phidippus alchymista Phidippus rufimanus Phidippus lunulatus Phidippus dubiosus Phidippus mundulus Phidippus personatus Phidippus elegans Phidippus electus Phidippus concinnatus Phidippus morsitans Phidippus rauterbergii Phidippus mexicanus Philaeus farneus Phidippus tripunctatus Megatimus severus Phidippus howardii Phidippus farneus Phidippus rauterbergi Phidippus howardi Dendryphantes morsitans Dendryphantes severus Dendryphantes variegatus Dendryphantes farneus Dendryphantes howardi Dendryphantes mexicanus Dendryphantes rauterbergi Phidippus bryantae

Phidippus audax is a common jumping spider encountered in North America, where they are the most common cause of spider bites.^[1] They are commonly called Bold Jumper, because they will not retreat when being touched, but showing curiosity and jumping right at a finger.

It is a common predator of many crop pests, including boll weevils, spotted cucumber beetles, bollworms, cotton leaf worm, fall webworm, cotton fleahopper, lygus bugs, stink bugs, three-cornered alfalfa hoppers, leafhoppers, sorghum midges, mosquitoes. [1]

In P. audax, the chelicerae are iridescent green.

P. audax is the type species for the genus Phidippus.

Contents 1 Distribution 2 Name 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Distribution

This species is common in most parts of the USA and parts of northern Central America, and has been introduced to Hawai'i and the Nicobar Islands.

[edit] Name

The species name is derived from Latin audax "daring, audacious".

[edit] References

1. ^ Jumping to Unfortunate Conclusions: Phidippus audax, the most common cause of spider bites. Dermatology Online Journal. Retrieved on 2006-10-23.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Phidippus audax

• Diagnostic drawings
• Keeping P. audax as pet
• Pictures of P. audax (free for noncommercial use)