About Phiale mimica (C.L.Koch, 1846)
Phiale mimica is a moderately robust jumping spider. In the original description by C. L. Koch, the male of this species has a black body marked with bright yellow patterns: a broad curved stripe around the head region, and three broad bright yellow transverse stripes on the abdomen. Its legs are yellow, with black, hairy segments. Like other species in the mimica group, Phiale mimica has the palpal and epigynal features characteristic of the genus Phiale. Males have a transverse tegular division with a well-developed proximal retrolateral lobe. Females have unique epigynal copulatory openings, where extended outer edges form secondary atria inside larger atrial depressions.
This species has been recorded from multiple localities in Brazil, and has been observed as far north as Mexico. Members of the mimica group, including Phiale mimica, are typically collected by beating branches along forest edges. They share behavioral patterns with species of the genus Pachomius, including a characteristic waving movement of the front legs. Species in the mimica group generally have a more robust build than Pachomius species, but are smaller than members of the formosa or gratiosa groups within the genus Phiale. Some females in the mimica group display bright warning colors that may act as mimicry of female mutillid wasps, also called velvet ants.
