About Phidippus octopunctatus (G.W.Peckham & E.G.Peckham, 1883)
Phidippus octopunctatus, first described by G.W.Peckham and E.G.Peckham in 1883, is a species of jumping spider. It occurs in the United States and Mexico, with most populations found in the Great Basin Desert. It ranks among the largest jumping spiders native to North America, and its body length can reach nearly 25 millimetres, or 0.98 inches. Individuals of this species range in color from gray to brownish-gray. Unlike Phidippus californicus, a related jumping spider that shares the same habitat, Phidippus octopunctatus constructs a large, clearly visible nest among bush branches to hold its egg cocoon. Adult males, unmated adult females, and subadult females of this species can be found in late August. Phidippus octopunctatus has been observed hunting large prey including grasshoppers and bees.
