Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Salticidae - Jumping Spiders
Genus: Trite
Species: T. auricoma
Scientific name: Trite auricoma
Common name: Golden brown Jumping Spider
There are more than 150 species of jumping spiders thought to live in New Zealand, with most of them yet to be described and classified by scientists. These spiders are small to medium-sized, with most having bodies less than a centimetre long. With so many species, this family includes quite a range of colour schemes.
Jumping spiders are readily identified by the presence of a very large pair of eyes right at the front of the cephalothorax (the combined head and thorax). Jumping spiders have the keenest eyesight of all spiders, with eyes that are capable of forming images. Jumping spiders are readily identified by the presence of a very large pair of eyes right at the front of the cephalothorax (the combined head and thorax). Their eight eyes are arranged in 3 rows - the first row near the midline contains the largest pair, which faces forward in the manner of predatory animals requiring binocular vision, and a second, smaller pair outboard of those, also facing forward and slightly upward. The second row of eyes is very much smaller and facing upwards and only slightly forward. This gives them excellent eyesight which is important as jumping spiders actively hunt their prey during daylight.
As their name suggests, jumping spiders are capable of leaping large distances when they pounce on their prey. Most New Zealand jumping spiders are patterned in shades of brown, black, grey and white and can be between 2-10 mm in length. Males are often bright-coloured and can be recognised by their enlarged front legs, which they use in mating displays.
Trite auricoma is our most common jumping spider and is usually found in foliage and on the forest floor. 6-8 mm in length.
More detail information at http://zipcodezoo.com/Key/Animalia/Salticidae_Family.asp
Body colour patterns can vary.
A juvenile spider
Male
Male (large palps)
