 | Dimorphic Jumping Spider - Maevia inclemens Maevia inclemens is commonly known as the dimorphic jumping spider, after its two different forms. Live adult male jumping spider photographed in the wild at Warrenville, Illinois, USA. Insects & Spiders | Spiders Index | Jumping Spiders | Orb Weavers | Wolf Spiders | Funnel Web Weavers |
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| Jumping spiders are distinguished from other spiders by their four big eyes on the face and four smaller eyes on top of the head. Around the world there are probably more than 5000 species of jumping spiders. Jumping spiders are charming lil buggers that look up and watch you. Although a jumping spider can jump more than fifty times its body length, none of its legs has enlarged muscles. The power for jumping comes from a quick contraction of muscles in the front part of the body increasing the blood pressure, which causes the legs to extend rapidly much as the hydraulics in a low-rider car. Salticids are perhaps as old and diverse as mammals, though not many humans know of their world. Many salticids are colorful, they take on a variety of body forms, and some have disguises, looking like ants and other organisms. |
