About Siler collingwoodi (O.Pickard-Cambridge, 1871)
Siler collingwoodi is a small species of jumping spider. Males have a total body length ranging from 3.06 to 4.47 millimeters, while females range from 4.59 to 4.94 millimeters. Unlike most ant-mimicking spiders, which have brown or black coloration that matches the appearance of ants, this species has bright body coloration that lets it camouflage among plants. In males, the base color of the cephalothorax is red. It is covered with bluish metallic hairs, and edged with white hairs. The areas surrounding the eyes are dark. The femur, patella, and tibia of the first pair of legs are dark brown, with light brown tarsi. Legs two through four are light brown. The abdomen is covered with silver hairs, except for distinct red markings and black bands. Females share similar coloration and markings with males. The original 1871 species description described the female cephalothorax as bright reddish yellow-brown, with a narrow band of bright shining silvery hairs, and a patch of short bright scarlet hairs between the posterior eyes. This species shows striking orange and blue patterning with a reflective metallic iridescent gleam, which is particularly visible in juvenile individuals. Its overall coloration and markings vary highly based on how much of its body hair has been lost. Siler collingwoodi is distributed in China and Japan. In China, it has been recorded from southern Hainan. In Japan, the species was first recorded by Baba in 2010.
