About Plexippus paykulli (Audouin, 1826)
Plexippus paykulli is a robust jumping spider species with a high carapace. Its body is covered in short greyish hairs, and males sometimes show striking red accents. Females have a total body length of 9 to 12 mm (0.35 to 0.47 inches), while males range from 9 to 11 mm (0.35 to 0.43 inches) in body length. The two sexes can be easily distinguished by their color patterns. Males have a black carapace and abdomen, marked with a broad white central stripe, an additional broad white stripe along each side, and a pair of white spots near the posterior end of the abdomen. The central stripe extends forward to the anterior eyes, giving the male’s face a pattern of three white stripes on a black background. Females are brownish grey overall, with a darker carapace that is particularly dark around the eyes. Females have a broad tan stripe that extends from the carapace onto the abdomen, where it splits into two chevrons. They also have two white spots on either side of the posterior end of the abdomen. Immature Plexippus paykulli share the same appearance as adult females. This species has a cosmopolitan distribution. It is native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia. It has been introduced to the Americas, where its range extends from the southern United States south to Paraguay. It has also been introduced to Australia, where it occurs in Queensland, the Northern Territory, and the Torres Strait Islands. It can also be found on the islands of the Maldives.
