Head to head
Zebra Spider vs Peacock Spider
Zebra Spider
VS Peacock Spider
The zebra spider and peacock spiders are two groups of tiny jumping spiders that hunt by sight and court with dances, one widespread in the north and the other in Australia.
| Zebra Spider | Peacock Spider | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Salticus scenicus | Maratus (a genus of many species) |
| Size | About 5 to 7 mm long | Most are 2.5 to 6 mm long, with females slightly larger than males |
| Colour | A black body marked with bands of white hairs, like a zebra | Males are brilliantly coloured in blues, purples, and reds from microscopic nanostructures, while females are plain brown |
| Hunting | Stalks and pounces on small insects such as flies, and sometimes other spiders, rather than catching them in a web | Hunts by sight and kills with a pounce and a venomous bite, rather than a web |
| Courtship | Males court females with a zigzag dance, waving their front legs | The male raises and unfurls a fan-like abdomen, lifts decorated third legs, and vibrates and waddles, with drumming vibrations that the female senses through the ground |
| Habitat | Sunny walls, fences, rocks, and tree trunks | Leaf litter, low vegetation, dunes, grassland, and heath |
| Range | Europe, Asia, and North America | Australia, with a few species in China |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and common | Not Evaluated, and many species are known from only a single locality or small area |
Zebra Spider vs Peacock Spider: common questions
Why does the zebra spider attach a silk thread before jumping?
The thread works as a safety line, stopping the spider from falling if it misses its target.
Which spider has the colourful courtship dance?
The male peacock spider, which raises and unfurls a brilliantly coloured fan-like abdomen and dances to attract a female.
Do they spin webs to catch prey?
No, both are jumping spiders that hunt by sight and pounce on their prey rather than catching it in a web.