A common jumping spider on the bark of trees, leaves and other surfaces, body length of females to 7mm, males to about 5mm, found in Queensland and NSW and likely elsewhere across Australia in suburban parks and gardens, dry eucalypt scrub to rainforest. Usually abundant when found, mostly on low foliage. Thought to prey on ants and probably other arthropods. Body and legs yellow to orange, sometimes brown, with a whitish striped abdomen. Easily recognisable by the pattern of lengthways bands down the abdomen and the black-topped head with white fringes around the eyes. The black section of the caput is in the region of the eye quadrangle, merging to yellow, orange or brown towards the rear. Builds a silken retreat about 10mm by 7mm in the leaves of shrubs. In 2010 found reliably to nest in the fruit clusters of Lomandra hystrix in December in South East Queensland. First described in 1881 as Ergane scutulata by Koch. Transferred to Sigytes s. by Simon, then revised as Lycidas scutulatus by Zabka. The species name scutulatus means cross-ruled referring to a type of stationery with two vertical lines, often seen in old library catalogue cards. ID confirmed by M. Zabka 2011. Revised by Otto, Hill and Robert Whyte in 2019
From above
Side on
Face on
Adult female from above, facing
Feeding on Arachnura higginsi
Female adult in alcohol
Female adult teeth on chelicera
Female adult underneath
Female adult epigyne
Female adult in alcohol 24-02-11 Glenbuck from above
Female adult in alcohol 24-02-11 Glenbuck epigyne
Female adult on Lomandra hystrix fruit clusters
Egg sac in Lomandra hystrix fruit cluster
Egg sac in Lomandra hystrix fruit cluster showing eggs
Female adult on Lomandra fruit
Female adult on desk top
Video
Video: Martin Stevens
- From above
- Side on
- Face on
- Adult female from above, facing
- Feeding on Arachnura higginsi
- Female adult in alcohol
- Female adult teeth on chelicera
- Female adult underneath
- Female adult epigyne
- Female adult in alcohol 24-02-11 Glenbuck from above
- Female adult in alcohol 24-02-11 Glenbuck epigyne
- Female adult on Lomandra hystrix fruit clusters
- Egg sac in Lomandra hystrix fruit cluster
- Egg sac in Lomandra hystrix fruit cluster showing eggs
- Female adult on Lomandra fruit
- Female adult on desk top
- Video
References
- Hypoblemum revision - Otto Hill and Whyte
