Maratus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maratus
Male Maratus volans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Salticidae
Subfamily:	Salticinae
Genus:	Maratus Karsch, 1878
Type species
Maratus amabilis Karsch, 1878
Diversity
>80 species (see text)
Synonyms
Lycidas Karsch, 1878

Maratus is a group of spiders known as peacock spiders. They belong to the family Salticidae, which are also called jumping spiders. These spiders get their common name because the male spiders have super colorful and shiny patterns on their backs. They often have special flaps or bristles that they show off during their amazing courtship dances. Female peacock spiders, however, are usually duller in color, helping them blend in with their surroundings.

In some species, like Maratus vespertilio, males also use these colorful flaps when they have friendly contests with other males. The male's display and courtship dance are very detailed. They use both visual signals (what they show) and vibrations (what they feel) to impress the females.

Many Maratus species were once thought to be part of a different spider group called Saitis. The Saitis spiders in Australia also have long, fringed third legs that they use for showing off. However, they don't lift their abdomens like Maratus spiders do. Almost all Maratus species live in Australia. The only exception is Maratus furvus, which is found in China.

What Makes Peacock Spiders Special?

Peacock spiders are quite small. Most are about 4–5 millimeters (0.2 inches) long, which is less than half a centimeter! There's a big difference between males and females in how they look. This is called sexual dimorphism.

Males are famous for their peacock-like display. They have a "plate" or "fan" on their back (abdomen) covered in bright, shiny scales and hairs. These often form cool patterns with bright colors against a shimmery background. Some males also have colorful "flaps" or thick fringes of hair on the sides of their abdomen.

Both male and female peacock spiders have a long, flexible stalk that connects their abdomen to their main body (cephalothorax). This allows males to lift their abdomens high. They can also flatten and wave them from side to side, making their colorful patterns even more noticeable. Not all species have colors that look super bright to us. For example, Maratus vespertilio has more subtle colors, with most of its shine on its side flaps.

Besides courtship, males use their abdominal display in fights with other males. In most species, males also have long, often brightly patterned third legs that they use in their dances. Jumping spiders have excellent eyesight. They can see at least two colors: green and ultraviolet (UV) light. The male's display also includes vibrations, not just visual signals. Some species, like Maratus fimbriatus, use their first pair of legs to display instead of their third pair. Others, like Maratus calcitrans, show off their large, decorated spinnerets (silk-spinning organs) when they lift their abdomen. One unique species from Western Australia doesn't use its abdomen at all! Instead, it uses its decorated third legs, bright blue face, and fluffy white mouthparts (pedipalps) to display.

Female peacock spiders are much less colorful than males. They have mottled patterns of white and brown scales, which helps them hide.

How Peacock Spiders Make Their Colors

Male Maratus spiders show off the brilliant colors on their abdomen during their courtship dances. These amazing colors are made in two main ways using special scales (which are like modified hairs).

One way uses pigments, which are natural colors, to create reds, whites, and creams. These colors are in scales that have tiny barbs, helping them scatter light.

The other way is how they make blues. Spiders use tiny structures called nanostructures that reflect light of specific colors. For example, Maratus splendens has a shiny, sometimes violet-blue color. These nanostructures are inside flat, curved, sac-like scales. They make the reflected light much stronger. Scientists at the University of Groningen found that this is the only animal known to make blue colors this way. They compared Maratus colors to butterfly wings, flower colors, and bird feathers. The blue colors made by these nanostructures in Maratus don't fade over time, unlike colors made with pigments.

Scientists have also found that Maratus volans spiders have four different types of light-sensing cells (called photoreceptors). This means they can see red, blue, green, and ultraviolet light! This helps them see all the tiny details in the male's colorful display.

Naming Peacock Spiders

The group of spiders called Maratus was first described by Ferdinand Karsch in 1878. Karsch worked at a museum in Berlin and named spiders based on specimens collected by others. He named the first species, Maratus amabilis, from a single male spider found in Australia. He also named Maratus amoenus, which is now known as M. volans.

In the 21st century, many more species were added to the Maratus group. Most of these new species have been described by Jürgen C. Otto and David E. Hill, who are famous for their work on peacock spiders.

Scientists believe that Maratus spiders are closely related to the Saitis group. Both groups are found in Australia, and the males in both have longer third legs and normal first legs.

All the Different Kinds of Peacock Spiders

There are over 80 known species of Maratus spiders! Here are some of them:

How Peacock Spiders Got Their Names

Early scientific names for Maratus spiders often used Latin or Greek words. For example, Maratus amabilis (named in 1878) means "friendly" or "pleasant" Maratus. Maratus volans (named in 1874) means "flying" Maratus. People once thought this spider could fly using its abdominal flap. We now know they can't fly. The flap is used for courtship or sometimes for friendly fights between males. Maratus chrysomelas refers to the golden-yellow shine of its abdomen when seen from certain angles. In 1947, a scientist named Dunn used the species name pavonis, which means "peacock."

As peacock spiders became more popular, scientists started naming them after people. For example, Maratus harrisi was named after Stuart Harris. Maratus purcellae was named after its discoverer in 2013. Maratus proszynski was named for Jerzy Prószyński in 2015.

Some peacock spiders even got fun common names in the news! One famous example is "Sparklemuffin" for Maratus jactatus. In 2016, scientists Barbara Baehr and Robert Whyte named a new species Maratus licunxin (or Maratus licunxini) after Li Cunxin, who directs the Queensland Ballet. They also honored Jürgen Otto with Maratus ottoi, Michael Duncan and Michael Doe with Maratus michaelorum, and Julianne Waldock with Maratus julianneae.

You might see two names, Maratus splendens and Maratus rainbowi, for the same spider. Scientists usually use the original name, Maratus splendens.

In 2017, Jürgen Otto and David Hill published a big list of Australian peacock spiders. They also created a new group for some peacock spiders called Saratus. There is one species listed in the Saratus group.

See also

In Spanish: Maratus para niños