Leaping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) attacking and consuming vertebrates: an replace
Summary
On this research, we offer an replace on the data of vertebrate-eating leaping spiders. Twenty-four stories of leaping spider predation on vertebrates are identified, that are attributed to seven species: Hyllus diardi (Walckenaer, 1837), H. semicupreus (Simon, 1885), H. treleaveni GW Peckham & EG Peckham, 1902, Paraphidippus cf. aurantius, Phidippus bidentatus FO Pickard-Cambridge, 1901, P. regius CL Koch, 1846, and an unknown species apparently associated to Hasarius Simon, 1871. As well as, a number of unsuccessful predation makes an attempt by Phidippus audax (Hentz, 1845) on hummingbird and chickadee nestlings are documented. Moreover, an incident of Phidippus otiosus (Hentz, 1846) feeding on an outsized gecko carcass (doubtless a case of scavenging) is reported. General, incidents of vertebrate predation by salticids are more likely to be, most often, very uncommon likelihood encounters between a tiny vertebrate and a hungry spider. In distinction, the case of Phidippus regius is exclusive for salticids as—to the present state of information—that is the one salticid species wherein vertebrate consumption has been reported quite a few instances (n = 18) and in many various areas (11 totally different Florida counties, USA).
Martin Nyffeler, Alireza Zamani, Bruce Cutler, Kenneth L. Krysko “Leaping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) attacking and consuming vertebrates: an replace,” The Journal of Arachnology, 53(2), 143-149, (10 December 2025) https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-23-034
