Marpissa muscosa

Marpissa muscosa
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Salticidae
Subfamily:	Salticinae
Genus:	Marpissa
Species:	M. muscosa
Binomial name
Marpissa muscosa (Clerck, 1757)

Marpissa muscosa is a species of jumping spider.

Marpissa muscosa, female.

On average, females have body length ranging from 7.5–14mm, whereas males have a body length ranging from 6–8.1mm.[1] 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. As other species of Marpissa spiders, it demonstrates a social hierarchy: weaker animals will acknowledge their inferiority by strutting their front legs and slowly retreating from the scene.[2] Early environmental conditions shape personality types in the developing spiders.[3]

Distribution

Marpissa muscosa lives in the Palaearctic.

Though rare in England, it is found throughout the country, more in the south and east. The species is widespread in northern Europe.

Habitat

These spiders are typically found on spruce and pine trees, under bark, in moor- and heathland, and around buildings.[1]

References

1. "araneae - Marpissa muscosa". araneae.nmbe.ch. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
2. R. R. Jackson, S. D. Pollard, A. M. Macnab, K. J. Cooper: The complex communicatory behaviour of Marpissa marina, a New Zealand jumping spider (Araneae: Saltacidae). In: New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 1990, Vol. 17: 25-38, doi:10.1080/03014223.1990.10422581.
3. Jannis Liedtke, Daniel Redekop, Jutta M. Schneider, Wiebke Schuett: Early environmental conditions shape personality types in a jumping spider. In: Ann V. Hedrick: The Development of Animal Personality, Frontiers Research Topics, Frontiers Media SA, vol. 3, Dec 2015, article 134, ISBN 2889451518, ISBN 9782889451517, doi:10.3389/fevo.2015.00134.