Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Peacock Spider - Maratus pavonis


This liitle guy is only about 4-6mm in length, and quite plain until you look closely.

This male' peacock spider', Maratus pavonis, is one of Australia's spectacular spiders. The spider has a cape or flaps around its abdomen. He was falsely named 'gliding spider' because it was thought the spider could glide on his flaps through the air.
When the brightly coloured male courts with his relatively duller mate he expands his flaps like a peacock's tails and raises his with white hairs tipped legs. A spectacular courtship dance of this 'peacock spider'.