Phidippus regius Apalachicola
Phidippus regius Apalachicola
Name Dutch: Apalachicola Jumping Spider
Scientific name: Phidippus regius "Apalachicola"
Age: On average 2 to 3 years
Height: Men 6 – 18mm and women 7 – 22mm
Day temperature: Average 26 – 28 degrees
Humidity: 40-70%
Activity: Day active
Legislation: None
Stay: Terrariums
Size Young Jumping Spider: 5 x 5 x 7 cm
Size Adult Jumping Spider: 20 x 20 x 30 cm
Description
The Phidippus regius Apalachicola, is a remarkable jumping spider known for its active lifestyle and unique colors. Also known as the Apalachicola Jumping Spider, this spider is native to the southeastern United States, with a particular population in the Apalachicola region.
The Apalachicola Jumping Spider has a unique color palette, ranging from glossy black, bright white to deep iridescent green and blue hues. These striking colors make them a visual spectacle. In addition, their large, expressive eyes are striking and give them an almost curious appearance.
The size of the Apalachicola Jumping Spider varies, with adult females averaging larger at around 18mm, compared to males reaching a size of around 14mm. The compact and stocky body shape of this jumping spider contributes to its agility and ability to maneuver between leaves and branches.
The Apalachicola Jumping Spider is known for its excellent hunting techniques. Equipped with impressive visual organs, these spiders stalk their prey with slow and cautious movements. Thanks to their powerful hind legs, they can then make powerful jumps to catch prey.
The appearance of the Apalachicola Jumping Spider
The Apalachicola Jumping Spider is a striking and fun spider with a unique and intriguing appearance.
The size of the Apalachicola Jumping Spider varies, but adult females grow larger than the males at around 18mm at an average size of 14mm.
The body shape of the Apalachicola Jumping Spider is compact and stocky. The body is wider than it is long and has a flattened appearance. This helps it maneuver between leaves and branches and hide from predators.
The Apalachicola Jumping Spider has a variable black and white color, which can vary with each individual. The female Phidippus cf. regius “Apalachicola” are often bright in color and have only a little black on the upper side of the thorax.
The males, on the other hand, often have a black base color with white spots. Some of them have deeply iridescent green, purple and blue hues on their jaws, which makes them have a striking and enchanting appearance.
Is my Jumping Spider a Male or a Female?
Determining the sex of a jumping spider requires patience and attention to subtle characteristics that become visible as the spider develops vision. It is highly recommended to wait until the jumping spider reaches the fourth molt stage (FH4), which brings the spider closer to the sub-adult stage or adulthood.
Male Apalachicola Jumping Spider
- Size: Measuring up to 18mm, males are smaller than females.
- Color: A typical black and white color scheme
- Teeth: Green-blue teeth visible around the 4th instar.
- Feeling feet: Thickenings at the end of the sensory legs, similar to a comma.
- Pedipalps: Larger pedipalps, almost like 'boxing gloves' used for transferring sperm to the epigyne during copulation.
Female Apalachicola Jumping Spider
- Size: Generally larger than males, with sizes reaching up to about 22 millimeters.
- Color: Variable color palette with predominantly white with less black than the male
- Teeth: Pink colored teeth.
- Feeling feet: Streamlined with an even shape.
- Pedipalps: Smaller pedipalps compared to males.
- Epigyne: The most striking feature on the underside of the female is the “epigyne,” a small, black and shiny dot between the book lungs. This characteristic is crucial for reproduction and the distinction between male and female jumping spiders.
Feeding and Hunting
Jumping spiders are known for their unique and active hunting behavior. They are able to stalk and capture prey using a combination of sight, speed and precision. Here's a general overview of how jumping spiders hunt:
- Sight: Jumping spiders have excellent vision organs called "anterior median eyes" that enable them to perceive movement and details at close range. This allows them to track and track prey.
- sneak up: Jumping spiders are known for their stealthy hunting technique. They move slowly and carefully towards their prey, keeping close to the surface so as not to be noticed.
- Estimate distance: While creeping closer to their prey, jumping spiders estimate the correct distance. This is critical because jumping spiders often attack their prey from a short distance.
- Jump: Once the jumping spider thinks it is close enough to the prey, it prepares to attack. Jumping spiders have very strong muscles in their hind legs and can make powerful jumps. The jump is made possible by the rapid relaxation of these muscles, causing the spider to launch itself towards the prey with considerable speed.
- Silk thread: During the jump, jumping spiders leave behind a thin thread of cobweb, which acts as a kind of anchor. This anchor allows the jumping spider to safely return to its original position after the attack if the attack is unsuccessful.
- Catch: During capture, the jumping spider brings its jaws (chelicerae) together to grab and bite the prey. This bite introduces an enzymatic venom that helps break down tissues of the prey, allowing the jumping spider to ingest it.
Feeding an Apalachicola Jumping Spider
In captivity, you can feed jumping spiders a variety of live insects appropriate to their size. Here are some feeding options you can feed your jumping spider:
- Fly: Small fruit flies or flies can be an excellent food source for jumping spiders. They are often readily available and contain sufficient nutrients.
- crickets: Depending on the size of the jumping spider, you can offer small to medium sized crickets. These provide some variety in the diet and contain protein.
- Butterflies and moths: Small butterflies and moths can also be suitable prey, especially if they match the size of the jumping spider.
- Little grasshoppers: If you have access to small grasshoppers, they can also serve as food for jumping spiders.
- Little beetles: Some small beetles may also be suitable, but make sure they are not too large for the size of the spider.
It is important to adjust the size of the food prey to the size of the jumping spider. It is better to offer prey no larger than half the size of the spider's body. This prevents the spider from being overwhelmed or injured by oversized prey.
An Apalachicola Jumping Spider as a pet
The Apalachicola Jumping Spider is an intriguing pet to keep. This unique and beautiful spider exhibits active and curious behavior, making it a fascinating animal to observe. It is important to pay attention to the specific needs of this jumping spider to ensure that it feels good in its habitat.
Setting up a suitable terrarium is essential to provide a comfortable living environment for your Apalachicola Springspin. A terrarium of, for example, 20x20x30 cm with ventilation openings is recommended.
Provide plenty of hiding places, such as small pieces of bark or leaves, where your jumping spider can feel safe. Since these spiders are masters of camouflage, creating an environment that resembles their natural habitat contributes to their well-being.
Maintaining the correct temperature is crucial to the health of your Apalachicola Jumping Spider. The ideal daytime temperature varies between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. In addition, it is important to maintain a humidity of about 50% to 70%. Regularly misting the terrarium will help maintain proper humidity levels and provide the jumping spider with moisture.
Keep in mind that the Apalachicola Jumping Spider is a special species with specific requirements. Careful attention to creating a suitable living environment and monitoring their behavior will contribute to the well-being and fascination of this wonderful pet.
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