Common Peacock Spider
Maratus pavonis
photographed by Jurgen Otto
This little cutie is endemic to Australia, found in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. The species epithet, pavonis, derives from from Latin word, pavo, meaning "peacock". The male holotype is tiny, brightly and beautifully coloured. Measuring just 4.34 millimetre. In courtship, males display a complicated ritual of legs waving, toe-tapping and abdomen twerking. Their brilliantly coloured side-flaps extending like a peacocks tail feathers to mesmerise their mate.
For photographer these spiders are ideal because they are cheeky, inquisitive, beautiful and will turn to look at the camera, sometimes jumping onto the camera lens.
For photographer these spiders are ideal because they are cheeky, inquisitive, beautiful and will turn to look at the camera, sometimes jumping onto the camera lens.
Genus: Maratus, Peacock Spiders are from the most diverse and abundant jumping spider family, Salticidae, with over 500 described genera and more than 5000 described species.
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