(Oxyopes salticus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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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 ⅝″ (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 3⁄16″ to 5⁄16″ (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, ⅛″ 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: 3⁄16″ to 5⁄16″ (4.4 to 7.4 mm) Male Body Length: ⅛″ to ¼″ (3.7 to 5.9 mm) Legspan: ½″ to ⅝″ (12 to 15 mm) |
Web |
No web |
Similar Species |
Habitat |
Wherever tall grasses and weeds are found |
Biology |
Season |
Spring to late summer |
Behavior |
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Life Cycle |
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Food |
Small insects |
Distribution |
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Sources 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. |
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12/27/2024 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common |
Taxonomy |
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Class |
Arachnida (arachnids) |
Order |
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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 |
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Synonyms |
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Oxyopes astutus Oxyopes gracilis Oxyopes luteus Oxyopes m-fasciatus Oxyopes nigrolineatus Oxyopes varians Sphasus luteus |
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Common Names |
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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.
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Babette Kis |
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Oxyopes salticus (striped lynx spider) Striped lynx spider, about 6 mm long, photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on July 27, 2024. |
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Other Videos |
Lynx spider - Oxyopes sp - Oxyopes salticus (Male) |
About
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Oxyopes Salticus: The Jumping Spider of the River |
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: Behavior: |
striped lynx spider "Oxyopidae" (Oxyopes salticus maybe) corect if wrong |
About
Feb 3, 2023 stripe lynx spider |
Arachnida Species - Lynx Spiders | Striped Lynx Spiders (Oxyopes salticus) |
About
May 18, 2020 Arachnida Specie Scientific Classification : |
Visitor Sightings |
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Babette Kis |
Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI Striped lynx spider, about 6 mm long, photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on July 27, 2024. |
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Created: 12/27/2024 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |