Don’t be deceived by its stature – small as it is, male Darlington’s Peacock Jumping Spider has a unique way of attracting females during mating time. The flamboyant male spider performs a very fancy and colorful mating dance! Read on to discover more about the species.
Australia is home to many species of jumping spider, most known for their vibrant colors. However, one species, the tiny Darlington’s Peacock Jumping Spider (Maratus Volans) exhibit a strange mating ritual. The species is endemic only in the eastern parts of Australia (Queensland, New South Wales). Both sexes reach about 5 mm in body length. Males color ranges from iridescent red, blue, green, black among others. Females have drab coloring.
Like peacocks, males of this species spiders also have flap-like extensions around their abdomen which were first thought used to aid the spider in gliding. Further studies have revealed that the flap-like extensions, are used to attract the female whilst courting.
To catch the female’s attention, the male spider does a fancy mating dance as he approaches the female. He then elevates his dazzling abdominal flaps (resembling that of a peacock raising his dazzling feathers) showing off a circular field of color including blue, green, orange and yellow. Simultaneously, the male waves a third pair of legs, showing a brush of black hairs and white-tipped ends.
After mating the male repeats this amazing dance many times with different females. Watch the video below and marvel at how dazzling this mating performance is.
I love the color its so pretty. Amazing facts, thanks for sharing to us this remarkable story.
watched the video, what a marvellous mating performance indeed! and they look so colorful!! the male spider's dance is amazing haha, whew, I'll show this to hubby haha :-)blessed week bro 🙂
What a colorful spider! And wow! The mating is such an amazing performance 😉 My first time to see one that's caught on video.
It's like the peacock of the arachnid world 😉
so sorry but never get the chance to watch the video, i adhered spiders ever and can't take watching them…however it looks awesome to see that one you've shared has a colorful back design
the colors of these spiders are beautiful, never thought they have species like this, thanks for sharing it with us, very informative! 🙂
gee, how I wish to see this kind of spider, I am fascinated by spiders, and this particular specie looks so colorful, the eyes were like a robot.
oh,my! I haven't seen such a beautiful spider…how awesome!
Look at those colors! Are those really for real? Wow, I never knew there's a breed of spiders such as these. Matanglawin Kuya Kim, is that you?
Wow, i am bewitched by the dance. It is nice to know about this specie of spider. It is so nice of their courting ways..hehe
Spiders! Medyo takot ako sa kanila. LOL So seeing the pics above makes me want to scroll down faster. Hihi
Hhhe so fun and enjoy looking the spider that is colorful.
Ang colorful naman nila! 🙂
New knowledge. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Cute nila! 🙂
OMG! This has got to be one of the most remarkable species that I've seen on video. The dance itself, te courtship, the tango between male and female spiders are so spectacular. I've never seen such a colorful spider, let one fat and hairy ones (referring to the female).
This is a very cool and colorful spider. Makulay na, talented pa.
Ahhh-May-Zing!, I was more amaze by this than my tarantulas over here. haha. want to see such up close..
Were they really that colorful? ang gaganda naman =)
Amazing Peacock spiders! We're really surprised that there are species of spiders who mimic the mating ritual of peacocks. It's really awesome to watch the video.
This is new knowledge for me!LOl, am not really into spiders but this one is real amazing! .. and interesting mating dance! 🙂
ang kulay ng gagamba… walang sinabi ang gagambang talahib at gagambang ekis diyan… talo pa nga niya si spider-man sa kulay eh…
I enjoyed the video! Watch it guys! Those spiders are soooo cool! 😀
that was the only spider ive seen that I admit pretty
Enzy Wenzy Spider…Eeew..hahaha..Rainbow spider! Love the color but hate spiders.
It has a colorful skin. I've seen a local jumping spider here in our place, but it doesn't have a variety of colors.
Macro shots at its finest. And not to mention the very unique pre lude of this species before mating.
colorful and amazing! your posts are interesting and very educational, keep it up!
I would have bet my right hand that those were painted! Really beautiful, but I would not like to hold one 😛
that is a very colorful and exotic spider…so this is where those Maori warriors get their warpaint designs.
Wow so colorful! Great subject for photography, though I'm not sure if I can get close enough for a macro shot, scared it may jump on me. Hehe.
interesting to note how the animal kingdom is so diverse in their mating practices, human should admire for having lost that art…the romance…
there are so many things i learn from your blog. and they are very interesting thing to know.
male peacocks do the same, right? they spread their flaps to attract the opposite sex before mating. 🙂
very romantic of the male spider… hahaha
I never thought spiders can be as gorgeous as that. Less creepiness!
Cool! Good thing there is good shot of the spider before it jumped. 😀
very informative post. pati yung vid.
Its actually my first time seeing a spider like that. looks can be deceiving though
Oh these photos of spiders are so amazing! My kids love to see these in reality.
The colorful spider displays beauty as the mating takes over… quite interesting. I'm curious on how the baby spider will look like. 🙂
Hahaha! I enjoyed watching the video. The male spider's mating dance was amazing. I wonder, what if the human race were that way too? So many males dancing in their colorful attire just to attract women. That would be the day, when men would be the ones wearing make up and women would just be in comfortable clothing. Thanks for sharing. Great informative post!
Mother Nature is so beautiful and awesome! I wish I had been a biologist sometimes…
I never knew that spiders can dance Lol! My husband will be interested to know about this since he's very fond of spiders.
OMG! Really? They dance? That's cute and kinda scary. Hahahaha. 😀
Wow .. never thought I'd say this .. but that a beautiful Spider 🙂 He's like a work of Art
These spiders are awesome and the colors captured in the photos are equally as stunning. It's like a spider wearing a costume and dancing the night away. Very cool.
I must admit that i am deadly terrified of spiders (or any bugs/insects/the likes), but this peacock jumping spider really is fascinating! Whatta stunning, beautiful color and i am amazed that they have peacock-like flap!
What all someone will do get some female attention 😉 Tip: it helps if you are colourful!
Wow, that is an amazing creature! A mere proof of the miracles of nature. The shapes that are formed by the lines of different colors are incredible. You left me Speechless!
This spider is too colorful to be true. But I think I will still not want to see one in real life. Haha!
Amazing colorful spider! I remember during childhood I used to catch spiders at home and play with it
That is an amazingly beautiful spider ! (said by someone who can't handle spiders at best of times). Nature never seize to amaze me !
oh my gosh! its so cute! and the colors make it attractive. although im not sure i like spiders, i like the photos~ hahahaha
Spiders have always grossed me out but this one is too pretty for words. And such an interesting mating ritual. Nature continues to leave me awestruck 🙂
That creature almost looks fake with the bright colours! I am one hundred percent not a fan of spiders, but this was pretty unique i must say..
And it is colorful as peacock as well. they have the same tactics for flirting mode. hahaha
The color speaks for itself, that he likes the female…it seems like "papogi effect.
It's a really colorful spider. It makes me think that dancers really have great sex appeal.
This spider is really beautiful!… Love macro photography! This spider really caught my eyes!
What an amazing looking spider. It is so colorful, beautiful and pretty smart with its courting dance.
Never knew peacock spiders exist! I am amazed by the very vibrant colors and watching the video, they do look like peacocks raising and spreading their "feathers" performing for a potential mate.
Amazing colors and what an amazing animal! The world truly is filled with wonders and wonderful things 🙂
I am amazed looking at the video..never imagined spider to be so colorful….loved the video totally
beautiful colors but i'm sorry i don't like spiders ughhh.
I get freaked out when I see spiders but this is the first time to know about this one and the pretty colors. Though still doesn't change. I just appreciate this one on photo 🙂
amazing, it only shows talaga na in real life , males are beautiful and talented… this spider is the proof…
While spiders freak me out, I have to say … that has to be the prettiest ( although males ) & most colorful spider I have ever seen. It was interesting to know about the mating dance.
Dancing spider looks funny but I still hate seeing one up close. Scary, creepy and makes me feel itchy just by looking at it. 🙁
The colours on the spider's body and that dance, so beautiful! I am always amazed by God's wonderful creations on Earth!!
hahaha, I suddenly imagined me a spider dazzled by the flaps! 🙂
wow, they are beautiful! It's rainbow colour! But I guess I will be really scared if I ever see one up close! Not sure if they are poisonous!
Those are colorful spiders. I wonder if those with arachnophobia would still be frightened at the sight of these colorful creatures.
It's so interesting reading about the different rituals of animals where you can't help but sort of relate it to real human behavior! Such cool trivia! 😀
I'm actually scared of spiders and couldnt look at the photos. creepy
Ok it has bright colors. But it does not change the fact that it is a big hairy spider. Yikes! 🙂
To be frank I haven't heard of jumping spider and couple of days before only my son told me about jumping spider as he read about it in the class and I thiought it to be a normal spider. Now I can relate to it !!
Wow, even spiders have strategies to attract female spiders. Wonders of nature indeed.
wow that is one beautiful spider! Mother Nature is amazing, what she can bestow us – or in this case a spider!
Usually I am quite scared of spider as they are in black. But this Darlington’s Peacock Jumping Spider looks quite pleasant in colors and with its posing.
I have never seen a spider this colorful. Spiders freak me out, but I don't think this one would.
It would be nice to see this colorful spider. It's really a beautiful creature.
Gahh, spiders give me the creeps . They look wonderfully pretty though..