Marpissa muscosa

Marpissa muscosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Family:	Salticidae
Genus:	Marpissa
Species:	M. muscosa
Binomial name
Marpissa muscosa (Clerck, 1757)

Marpissa muscosa is a species of jumping spider.

Marpissa muscosa, female.

Females reach about 8–13 mm length, males only 6–8 mm. Both sexes are coloured grey to brown. The whole spider has a furry appearance and is flattened in shape.

The species builds a kind of nest under the bark of dead trees. Up to 100 of these nests can occur side by side. This spider has a hierarchy: weaker animals will show their inferiority by strutting their front legs and slowly receding from the scene.

Distribution

M. muscosa lives in the Palaearctic.

It is uncommon but widespread in England, more frequent in the south and east. It is widespread in northern Europe.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marpissa muscosa.