striped lynx spider

(Oxyopes salticus)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

 
striped lynx spider
Photo by Babette Kis
 
Description

Striped lynx spider is a common, small, grass lynx spider. It occurs in North America, Central America, and South America. In the United States, it occurs east of the Great Plains and on the West Coast. It is found in a variety of habitats, wherever tall grasses and weeds are found. It is one of the most common spiders collected in tall grasses and weeds.

Adults have a ½ to (12 to 15 mm) legspan. The color and the shade and intensity of the markings on the upper side of the body varies, but the pattern of markings is consistent. The base color is white, cream, or pale yellow (pale). The markings may be brown orange, black, or a combination of these (dark).

Females are 316 to 516 (4.4 to 7.4 mm) in length.

The front part of the body (cephalothorax) is high, longer than wide, convex when viewed from the side, and sharply sloped at the rear and on the sides. The sides are pale yellow. On each side there is a pair of black lines, a long dark dash followed by a short, almost dot-like dash, in front of the jaws (chelicerae). The upper side (carapace) is pale with four dark, longitudinal lines extending from behind the rear (posterior) side (lateral) eyes (PLE) to the rear margin. The two center lines meet at the rear margin.

There are eight eyes grouped in a pattern unusual for spiders but common for lynx spiders. The eye area is dark brown to black but is densely covered with white, appressed, hair-like scales. The scales sometimes rub off, revealing some or all of the dark color below. There are six large eyes arranged in a hexagon and two much smaller eyes in front, making this appear to be a six-eyed spider. The eye region is dark brown to black. The face is almost vertical. There is a pair of distinct, narrow, black lines on the face extending down from the front (anterior) middle (median) eyes (AME) onto the chelicerae.

The abdomen is long, longer than the cephalothorax, widest in front, and tapering to the rear. The upper side is dark brown on the sides and pale in the middle. The cardiac region has a pale or light brown, lance-shaped mark (cardiac mark) with a bold dark border. Two narrow dark stripes extend from behind the cardiac mark to the tip of the abdomen.

The legs are long and pale yellow with many long black spines projecting at angles. When hunting, they form a bristly cage that may help the spider capture its prey. On the first, second, and third pairs of legs there is a distinct, narrow, black stripe on the underside of the third leg segment (femur). The first pair of legs is longer than the fourth pair. The last segment (tarsus) on each leg has 3 claws at the end, but these are not visible without magnification.

Males are smaller, to ¼ (3.7 to 5.9 mm) in length. The black lines on the face, on the sides of the carapace, and under the femurs are less distinct. The abdomen is short, smaller than the cephalothorax, and sometimes black.

 

Size

Female Body Length: 316 to 516 (4.4 to 7.4 mm)

Male Body Length: to ¼ (3.7 to 5.9 mm)

Legspan: ½ to (12 to 15 mm)

 

Web

No web
 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Wherever tall grasses and weeds are found

Biology

Season

Spring to late summer

 

Behavior

 

 

Life Cycle

 

 

Food

Small insects

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 29, 30, 82, 83.

Brady, A. R. (1964). The lynx spiders of North America, north of Mexico (Araneae: Oxyopidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 131: 429-518.

12/27/2024    
     

Occurrence

Common

Taxonomy

Class

Arachnida (arachnids)

Order

Araneae (spiders)

Suborder

Araneomorphae (typical spiders)

Infraorder

Entelegynae

Zoosection

RTA clade

Zoosubsection

Oval calamistrum clade

Superfamily

Lycosoidea (wolf spiders and allies)

Family

Oxyopidae (lynx spiders)

Subfamily

Oxyopinae

Genus

Oxyopes (grass lynx spiders)

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Oxyopes astutus

Oxyopes gracilis

Oxyopes luteus

Oxyopes m-fasciatus

Oxyopes nigrolineatus

Oxyopes varians

Sphasus luteus

   

Common Names

striped lynx spider

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Carapace

The hard, upper (dorsal), shell-like covering (exoskeleton) of the body or at least the thorax of many arthropods and of turtles and tortoises. On crustaceans, it covers the cephalothorax. On spiders, the top of the cephalothorax made from a series of fused sclerites.

 

Cardiac mark

An oval dark mark on the front half of the abdomen of some spiders, beneath which lies the heart.

 

Cephalothorax

The front part of the body of various arthropods, composed of the head region and the thoracic area fused together. Eyes, legs, and antennae are attached to this part.

 

Chelicerae

The pair of stout mouthparts, corresponding to jaws, in arachnids and other arthropods in the subphylum Chelicerata.

 

Femur

On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.

 

Tarsus

On insects, the last two to five subdivisions of the leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. On spiders, the last segment of the leg. Plural: tarsi.

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos
 

Share your photo of this arachnid.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.

Babette Kis

striped lynx spider

Oxyopes salticus (striped lynx spider)

Striped lynx spider, about 6 mm long, photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on July 27, 2024.

MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
   

 

   

 

 

Camera

Slideshows

Oxyopes salticus
The Bearded Spider

Oxyopes salticus

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos
 

Share your video of this arachnid.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.

 

 

 
 
Other Videos

Lynx spider - Oxyopes sp - Oxyopes salticus (Male)
LetUsWatchAnimals

About

Oct 9, 2014

Lynx spider - Oxyopes sp - Oxyopes salticus (Male)
Family - Oxyopidae

Oxyopes Salticus: The Jumping Spider of the River
Ananth's Fun Factory

About

Dec 21, 2024

Oxyopes salticus is a species of lynx spider belonging to the family Oxyopidae. These spiders are widely recognized for their unique hunting behaviors and sharp vision, which are characteristic of the group. Instead of building webs, they actively hunt their prey, relying on agility and speed.

Physical Description:
Size: Typically small to medium-sized.
Body Shape: Elongated body with spiny legs.
Coloration: Often yellowish, brown, or green with distinctive markings that provide camouflage in their natural habitat.
Eyes: Eight eyes arranged in a distinctive pattern, offering excellent vision for detecting prey.
Habitat: Oxyopes salticus is commonly found in grasslands, shrubs, and forests, often perching on vegetation. Its ability to blend into its surroundings makes it a proficient ambush predator.

Behavior:
These spiders are diurnal and primarily rely on their quick reflexes to capture small insects.
They exhibit a stalking hunting technique similar to that of cats, which inspired the name "lynx spider."
"Explore Oxyopes salticus, the agile lynx spider. Learn about its habitat, behavior, physical traits, and its role in controlling pest populations."

striped lynx spider "Oxyopidae" (Oxyopes salticus maybe) corect if wrong
NISKALA 91

About

Feb 3, 2023

stripe lynx spider

Arachnida Species - Lynx Spiders | Striped Lynx Spiders (Oxyopes salticus)
Arthropod specieS

About

May 18, 2020

Arachnida Specie
Lynx Spiders
Striped Lynx Spiders (Oxyopes salticus)

Scientific Classification :
Kingdom : Animalia (Animals)
Phylum : Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum : Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class : Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order : Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder : Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynae)
Family : Oxyopidae (Lynx Spiders)
Genus : Oxyopes
Species : O. salticus (Striped Lynx Spider)

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

Report a sighting of this arachnid.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.

Babette Kis
7/27/2024

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Striped lynx spider, about 6 mm long, photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on July 27, 2024.

striped lynx spider
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created: 12/27/2024

Last Updated:

© MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.

About Us

Privacy Policy

Contact Us