Bold Jumping Spider

Phidippus audax — the bold jumping spider — is the most familiar large jumping spider in eastern North America and one of the most extensively-studied jumping spider species in modern arachnid research. The species is widespread across the eastern, central, and southern US into northern Mexico and southern Canada. Adults are 12-15 mm body length (large for jumping spiders) with the species' defining features: jet-black bodies with white-marked abdomens and BRILLIANT IRIDESCENT GREEN-BLUE CHELICERAE (the mouth-parts) that flash dramatically when the spider opens her jaws. Like other jumping spiders (family Salticidae), the bold jumping spider has the highest visual acuity of any spider — the two large forward-facing principal anterior median eyes (AME) provide approximately 1/10 the resolution of human vision, sufficient to identify prey, predators, conspecifics, AND human faces by sight from 20+ cm away. The species' visual sophistication has made her one of the most-cited model organisms in invertebrate cognition research. The genus Phidippus has been the subject of major recent findings: (1) Jakob et al. and Cross et al. (2010s-2020s) demonstrated that jumping spiders use COLOR VISION across the visible and ultraviolet spectrum, with sex-specific color preferences in mate choice. (2) Ruiz et al. (2020, Current Biology) demonstrated that jumping spiders DREAM during sleep — overnight observation of P. audax and related species showed cyclical eye movements and limb twitches that match the REM-sleep patterns documented in vertebrate dreaming. The finding extends the evolutionary depth of REM sleep / dreaming behavior far back into invertebrate evolution. (3) Multiple studies have shown that jumping spiders engage in complex problem-solving including detour navigation, observational learning, and tool-use behaviors comparable to many vertebrates of similar brain size. The species is also widely beloved in popular culture: viral social media content featuring jumping spiders' curious 'puppy-dog' tracking behavior toward human faces has produced major cultural shifts in public perception of spiders, particularly Phidippus species. The bold jumping spider is one of the most-photographed spiders in modern macro nature photography.