Portia Fimbriata, also known simply as the Portia Spider or Jumping Spider, is native to the tropical rainforests found in Australia. They are unique spiders, both in their appearance and in their behavior. The Portia Spider is araneophagic, meaning it eats other spiders. They also eat insects and spider eggs. They have three ways of hunting pray. The first is called 'aggressive vibratory mimicry.' They climb onto the web of their prey and pluck signals of their victim's prey onto the web using their legs and palps. When the victim approaches the Portia, they attack. They are also adept at 'nest-probing,' which is how they catch a type of spider called cursorial salticids. These spiders, instead of building a web, spin orb-like nests. The Portia makes vibratory signals on the nest. When the salticid pokes its head out to investigate, the Portia spider attacks. The Portia Fimbriata's final hunting technique is known as 'cryptic stalking,' where the spider follows its prey very slowly. If the prey turns to look at the spider it freezes and looks like a piece of debris. Eventually, the Portia attacks its prey from behind. Portia Spider's reproduction can occur both on and off the web. The males and females both engage in a courtship dance, which consists of jerky walking, leg shaking and tapping. The male mounts the female and then the female spins around and they mate. About an hour after copulation, the male deposits a drop of sperm on the web. The female then stands over the sperm to fertilize her eggs. Apart from the mating ritual, however, Portias are solitary spiders. They have superior vision over many other species of spider. The Portia Spider's unique hunting habits are facilitated by its equally unique appearance. The Portia Spider is only about 1cm long with cryptic marking. They are covered in tufts of hair and have long, spindly legs. In combination, these features make them appear as a bit of debris, both to their prey and to potential predators. |