Evarcha arcuata (Evarcha arcuata) lives in low vegetation in open, often damp places, sunny meadows, marshes and reed beds across Palearctic. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Evarcha arcuata
- Evarcha arcuata occupies an exceptionally broad Palearctic belt that stretches from the western edges of Europe right across the Asian continent to the Far East. It is recorded throughout Europe and continues into Turkey, the Caucasus, and the whole of Russia from its European foothills to Siberian territories. The range also includes Kazakhstan, Iran, the broader Central Asian region, China and Japan, making it one of the most widespread members of its genus.
- The specific epithet of this jumping spider is taken from the Latin word arcus, which means "bow", a reference to the characteristic curved marking on its abdomen. This arched pattern appears as white lateral stripes that curve inward on the dorsal surface of the opisthosoma. The name therefore directly describes the most noticeable visual feature of the species, linking its taxonomy to its distinctive body pattern.
- Male Evarcha arcuata spiders measure just over four millimetres in body length, typically ranging between 4.1 and 4.9 mm, while females grow larger, reaching between 4.8 and 5.8 mm. This size difference is a clear example of sexual dimorphism in the species.
- The male's abdomen bears white side stripes that curve inward, forming a distinctive arch. The opisthosoma is dark brown to black dorsally with white lateral stripes that curve inward posteriorly, creating an arched pattern.
- Its taxonomic record is tangled, with many synonyms added. It has since been described under numerous synonyms, reflecting the complex taxonomic history of jumping spiders and the confusion that arose from early taxonomic work when spider classification was less well established.
Sources
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At a glance
RangePalearctic
HabitatLow vegetation in open, often damp places, sunny meadows, marshes and reed beds
DietFlies and other small insects
About the Evarcha arcuata
Evarcha arcuata is a small jumping spider of the family Salticidae, common across open, sunny habitats throughout Europe and Asia. Rather than trapping prey in a web, it stalks insects in the open with remarkable vision and ambushes them with a precise leap, trailing a silk safety line the whole way.
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Evarcha arcuata photographed on Feravox
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