USA Spiders

Overview of Spider Species in the United States

Jumping Spiders of America North of Mexico

55 Comments on Jumping Spiders of America North of MexicoPosted in Salticidae - Jumping Spiders By usaspidersPosted on

Worldwide, there are over 6,000 jumping spider species. In North America and Hawaii, 357 jumping spider species can be found (as of 2021). This article provides an overview of all these jumping spider species by genera that can be found in America north of Mexico.

Jumping spiders are a family of spiders with the ability to jump. Their scientific name is Salticidae. Jumping spiders don’t use muscles in their legs to jump. Instead, they suddenly increase the blood flow to their rear legs. This sudden increase propels the spiders forward. A juvenile Hypaeus jumping spider was observed jumping over 10 inches (25 cm) on a horizontal surface. That was more than 45 times its body length.

In 2015, the taxonomy in the family Salticidae was significantly simplified. Today, the family consists of seven subfamilies. In the United States and Canada, only two of the seven jumping spider subfamilies occur: Lyssomaninae and Salticinae. Worldwide, over 90% of all jumping spider species belong to the subfamily Salticinae.

Lyssomaninae

Lyssomanes

Jumping spiders of the genus Lyssomanes can be found throughout the warm regions of the Americas. In the United States, only one species, Lyssomanes viridis, the magnolia green jumper, can be found. Lyssomanes are often green or yellow long-legged spiders with translucent bodies.

Lyssomanes Viridis – Magnolia Green Jumper

Lyssomanes viridis, commonly called magnolia green jumper, is a small bright green jumping spider that can be found in the Southeastern United States and Mexico. Magnolia Green Jumping Spider Description The body and legs of the magnolia jumper have a bright green color that may even appear slightly translucent at times. An adult spider has around eight brown or black dots on its abdomen - sometimes they are small and ...
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Salticinae

The subfamily Salticinae is the largest jumping spider subfamily with over 90% of all jumpers. Apart from the magnolia green jumper, all jumping spiders found in the United States are part of the Salticinae subfamily. The subfamily itself is divided into two clades (Amycoida and Salticoida).

Clade Amycoida

Attinella

Adult_male_Attinella_concolor_dorsal
Attinella concolor. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Attulus

Sitticus floricola jumping spider in North america
Sitticus floricola. Photo Wikimedia Commons

Colonus

Colonus is a genus of jumping spiders found throughout the Americas. All species have spines on the inner sides of their legs. The function of these is still unknown.

Colonus puerperus USA top view
Colonus puerperus. Photo: Wikipedia

Hyetussa

Sarinda

Sarinda hentzi photo from top jumping spider
Sarinda hentzi. Photo: Wikipedia

Sittisax

  • Sittisax ranieri (Peckham & Peckham, 1909)

Synemosyna

Synemosyna_petrunkevitchi_jumping spider
Synemosyna petrunkevitchi ant mimicking jumping spider. Photo: Wikipedia

Synemosyna are a genus of ant mimicking jumping spiders found throughout the Americas. Two species are found in the United States:

Tomis

  • Tomis welchi (Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936) (syn. Sitticus welchi)

Clade Salticoida

Admestina

Admestina jumping spider north america
An Admestina jumping spider in North America. Photo: Wikipedia

Admestina is a genus of jumping spiders that is endmeic to North America. The spiders are mostly found in forests and have a flat cephalothorax which is believed to help them hide in crevasses. The three species of the genus are all found in the United States:

Anasaitis

Anasaitis caonsa jumping spiders in the USA
Anasaitis caonsa. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Attidops

Bagheera

Baheera prosper
Baheera prosper. Photo: Wikipedia

Beata

Adult male beata sp jumping spider
An adult male Beata sp. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The genus Beata contains 21 jumping spider species found throughout America. Only one of the species is found in the United States:

Bellota

A male Bellota sp. jumper. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
  • Bellota micans Peckham & Peckham, 1909 
  • Bellota wheeleri Peckham & Peckham, 1909

Chalcoscirtus

Adult_female_Chalcoscirtus_diminutus_face
An adult female Chalcoscirtus diminutus. Photo: Wikipedia
  • Chalcoscirtus carbonarius Emerton, 1917 
  • Chalcoscirtus diminutus (Banks, 1896)
  • Chalcoscirtus glacialis Caporiacco, 1935 – (Alaska)

Cheliferoides

Cheliferoides_longimanus spider
Cheliferoides longimanus. Photo: Wikipedia

Cheliferoides are jumping spiders with a strong and thick leg of front pairs resembling a scorpion. There are three species in this genus that can all be found in the United States.

Chinattus

Chinattus parvulus female
Chinattus parvulus female. Photo: Wikipedia

Corythalia

Corythalia jumping spider
A Corythalia jumping spider. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The genus Corythalia is a genus of jumping spiders found throughout the Americas. Of the 29 species in the genus, 2 are found in North America:

  • C. conspecta (Peckham & Peckham, 1896) 
  • C. opima (Peckham & Peckham, 1885) 

Dendryphantes

Spiders of the genus Dendryphantes can be found throughout the world. Only one of the 69 species occurs in North America:

  • Dendryphantes nigromaculatus (Keyserling, 1885)

Epocilla (only in Hawaii)

Epocilla calcarata jumping spider on leaf in Hawaii
Epocilla calcarata. Source: Wikimedia Commons
  • Epocilla calcarata (Karsch, 1880) – Introduced to Hawaii from Asia

Evarcha

Evarcha hoyi brown jumping spider USA
A brown Evarcha hoyi jumping spider- Photo: Wikipedia

Eyuophrys

Eris

Eris jumping spider image closeup
A closeup shot of an Eris jumping spider. Photo: Wikipedia

Ghelna

  • Ghelna barrowsi (Kaston, 1973) 
  • Ghelna canadensis (Banks, 1897) 
  • Ghelna castanea (Hentz, 1846)
  • Ghelna sexmaculata (Banks, 1895) 

Habronnatus

Habronattus americanus male Idaho red palps colored jumping spider USA
The colorful red palps and legs of Habronatus americanus. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Habronatus is a genus of jumping spiders found throughout the Americas with 106 recognized species. 72 of the species are found in the United States and/or Canada. Spiders of the genus Habronatus are commonly referred to as paradise spiders due to their colorful ornaments and mating dances that resembles the appearance and behavior of birds of paradise.

Hakka

Hakka_himeshimensis
Hakka himenshimensis. Photo: Wikipedia

The genus Hakka contains only one species. Hakka himeshimensis is a species native in eastern Asia but has been introduced to the continental United States and Hawaii.

Hasarius

Havaika (Hawaii)

Havaika jumping spider male
A Havaika jumping spider male. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Jumping spiders of the genus Havaika occur on the Hawaiian and Marquesas Islands. They are mostly dark. Due to the drastic reduction in biodiversity on the Hawaiian Islands pver the last decades, some of the species may already be extinct. The following species are recognized:

  • Havaika albociliata (Simon, 1900) 
  • Havaika c­anosa (Simon, 1900)
  • Havaika cruciata (Simon, 1900) 
  • Havaika jamiesoni Prószyński, 2002 
  • Havaika pubens (Simon, 1900) 
  • Havaika navata (Simon, 1900) 
  • Havaika senicula (Simon, 1900) 
  • Havaika valida (Simon, 1900)
  • Havaika verecunda (Simon, 1900) 
  • Havaika arnedoi Prószynski, 2008 
  • Havaika beattyi Prószynski, 2008 
  • Havaika berlandi Prószynski, 2008 
  • Havaika berryorum Prószynski, 2008
  • Havaika ciliata Prószynski, 2008 
  • Havaika gillespieae Prószynski, 2008 
  • Havaika gressitti Prószynski, 2008 
  • Havaika kahiliensis Prószynski, 2008 
  • Havaika kauaiensis Prószynski, 2008
  • Havaika kraussi Prószynski, 2008
  • Havaika mananensis Prószynski, 2008
  • Havaika mauiensis Prószynski, 2008
  • Havaika oceanica Prószynski, 2008
  • Havaika tantalensis Prószynski, 2008 

Hentzia

Of the 22 species in the Hentzia genus, 7 occur in North America, north of Mexico. Spiders of the genus Hentzia are mostly brown colored with a long, thin abdomen and long and thick front legs.

A male Hentzia mitrata brown jumping spider
A male Hentzia mitrata brown jumping spider. Photo: Wikipedia

Leptofreya

Leptofreya_ambigua_jumper
Leptofreya ambigua. Photo: Wikipedia

The genus Leptofreya consists of 4 species. L. ambigua has been introduced to the Southern United States from the northern Amazonas region.

  • Leptofreya ambigua (C. L. Koch, 1846) 

Maevia

Maevia inclemens jumping spider
Maevia inclemens – the dimorphic jumper
  • Maevia expansa Barnes, 1955 
  • Maevia inclemens (Walckenaer, 1837) 
  • Maevia intermedia Barnes, 1955 

Marchena

The genus Marchena only contains a single species: Marchena minuta. A jumping spider that can be found in the Western United States from Washington through California and Nevada.

  • Marchena minuta (Peckham & Peckham, 1888)

Marpissa

Marpissa_lineata
Marpissa lineata. Photo: Wikipedia

Menemerus

Menemerus Bivittatus - Grey Wall Jumper

Menemerus is a genus of jumping spiders originally from the warm regions of the African and Asian continent. Two species have been introduced to North America and have established viable populations on the continent:

Messua

Metacyrba

Metaphidippus

Metaphidippus_manni
Metaphidippus manni. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Mexigonus

Mexigonus minutus in California jumping spider
Mexigonus minutus in California. Photo: Wikipedia

Myrmarachne

  • M. albocincta (C. L. Koch, 1846) 
  • M. formicaria (De Geer, 1778) Introduced to USA from Central Asia

Naphrys

Naphrys pulex in Tennessee
Naphrys pulex found in Tennessee. Photo: Wikipedia

Neon

Neonella

  • Neonella camillae Edwards, 2003 
  • Neonella vinnula Gertsch, 1936 

Paradamoetas

  • Paradamoetas fontanus (Levi, 1951) 
  • Paradamoetas formicinus Peckham & Peckham, 1885 

Peramaevia

Paramaevia_hobbsae_female
A female Paramaevia hobbsae in South Carolina. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Paramarpissa

  • Paramarpissa albopilosa (Banks, 1902) 
  • Paramarpissa griswoldi Logunov & Cutler, 1999
  • Paramarpissa piratica (Peckham & Peckham, 1888)

Paraphidippus

Paraphidippus aurantius - the Grandpa Jumping Spider
Paraphidippus aurantius – the Grandpa Jumping Spider. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Peckhamia

Pelegrina

Pelegrina_aeneola_female
Pelegrina aeneola female. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
  • Pelegrina aeneola (Curtis, 1892) 
  • Pelegrina arizonensis (Peckham & Peckham, 1901)
  • Pelegrina balia Maddison, 1996
  • Pelegrina bunites Maddison, 1996
  • Pelegrina chaimona Maddison, 1996 
  • Pelegrina chalceola Maddison, 1996 
  • Pelegrina clemata (Levi, 1951) 
  • Pelegrina dithalea Maddison, 1996
  • Pelegrina exigua (Banks, 1892) 
  • Pelegrina flaviceps (Kaston, 1973) 
  • Pelegrina flavipes (Peckham & Peckham, 1888)
  • Pelegrina furcata (F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1901)
  • Pelegrina galathea (Walckenaer, 1837)
  • Pelegrina helenae (Banks, 1921)
  • Pelegrina huachuca Maddison, 1996 
  • Pelegrina insignis (Banks, 1892)
  • Pelegrina kastoni Maddison, 1996 
  • Pelegrina montana (Emerton, 1891)
  • Pelegrina orestes Maddison, 1996 
  • Pelegrina peckhamorum (Kaston, 1973)
  • Pelegrina pervaga (Peckham & Peckham, 1909) 
  • Pelegrina proterva (Walckenaer, 1837) 
  • Pelegrina sabinema Maddison, 1996
  • Pelegrina tillandsiae (Kaston, 1973) 
  • Pelegrina tristis Maddison, 1996 
  • Pelegrina verecunda (Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1930) 

Pellenes

Pellenes peninsularis in Minnesota
Pellenes peninsularis in Minnesota. Photo: Wikipedia
  • P. apacheus Lowrie & Gertsch, 1955 
  • P. canadensis Maddison, 2017
  • P. crandalli Lowrie & Gertsch, 1955
  • P. grammaticus Chamberlin, 1925 
  • P. ignifrons (Grube, 1861) 
  • P. lapponicus (Sundevall, 1833) 
  • P. levii Lowrie & Gertsch, 1955 
  • P. limatus Peckham & Peckham, 1901
  • P. longimanus Emerton, 1913 
  • P. peninsularis Emerton, 1925
  • P. shoshonensis Gertsch, 1934 
  • P. washonus Lowrie & Gertsch, 1955 

Phanias

Phanias albeolus jumping spider
Phanias albeolus jumping spider. Photo: Wiki
  • Phanias albeolus (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1941) 
  • Phanias concoloratus (Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1930) 
  • Phanias dominatus (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1941) 
  • Phanias furcifer (Gertsch, 1936)
  • Phanias harfordi (Peckham & Peckham, 1888)
  • Phanias monticola (Banks, 1895)
  • Phanias neomexicanus (Banks, 1901) 
  • Phanias watonus (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1941) 

Phidippus

Phidippus audax - Daring Jumping Spider
Phidippus audax – The Daring Jumping Spider

Phintelloides

  • Phintelloides versicolor (C. L. Koch, 1846) 

Phlegra

Platycryptus

Adult_male_Platycryptus_arizonensis_found in Arizona
An adult male Platycryptus arizonensis found in Arizona. Photo: Wikipedia

Plexippus

Plexippus paykulli (Audouin, 1826) – Introduced to the Americas from Africa

Poultonella

Pseudeuophrys

Rhetenor

Salticus

Salticus Scenicus - Zebra Jumping Spider
Salticus Scenicus – Zebra Jumping Spider

Sassacus

Sibianor

  • Sibianor aemulus (Gertsch, 1934)

Synageles

Synageles is a genus of jumping spiders mimicking the appearance of ants.

Synageles_bishopi
Synageles bishopi. Photo: Wikipedia

Talavera

Terralonus

Terralonus californicus
The perfect disguise of Terralonus californicus in sand. Photo: Wikipedia
  • Terralonus banksi (Roewer, 1951) 
  • Terralonus californicus (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 
  • Terralonus fraternus (Banks, 1932) 
  • Terralonus mylothrus (Chamberlin, 1925) 
  • Terralonus shaferi (Gertsch & Riechert, 1976)
  • Terralonus unicus (Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1930) 
  • Terralonus versicolor (Peckham & Peckham, 1909) 

Thiania (Hawaii)

  • Thiania suboppressa Strand, 1907 – Introduced to Hawaii from Asia

Tutelina

Zygoballus

Zygoballus_nervosus_male
A male Zygoballus nervosus. Photo: Wiki
Jumping Spiders of America North of Mexico

55 thoughts on “Jumping Spiders of America North of Mexico”

  3. Some sort of jumping spider, never seen one that looks like this. I’m in Gresham Oregon, Little guy was hanging out next to my trash can inside my house.

    Reply

  4. i am wondering what kind of jumping spider this is? i am in washington, and it doesnt seem to match the species in my state

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  5. What kind of spider is this?
    Found on the siding of our house.
    Happy that it had gotten the ant as the ants here are a HUGE problem. It is welcome to stay – outside, killing ants.

    Reply

  6. Please identify this spider. We live near the Delta in Northern California. Size, approximately half inch body

    Reply

  7. I caught a tiny jumping spider. This is the best picture I could get of it. It really is small. My best measurement with a caliper is 4mm.
    I want to know what kind or jumping spider it is, possibly what gender it is. Is it still too early to figure that out?

    Reply

    2. This spider was found in south-western Ohio. Could not tell what type of web it had, but it’s silk was very thick.

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      1. Hello Kaleb, thanks for your comment. This is some type of harmless orb weaver spider in the genus Neoscona. Their colors can be quite variable and I can’t tell if this is Neoscona arabesca or Neoscona crucifera. I am leaning towards Neoscona crucifera.

        Reply

  8. This spider was hanging from my arm climbing up a web strand to me when I noticed it. I swiped the strand off my arm and the spider landed on the street. I was photographing butterflies at the time, so I turned my camera to this little guy and got this photo. It was small, maybe 1/2 inch across, hairy, and a very expressive face with a spikes above the eyes. I think it might be a Putnam’s Jumping Spider, but would like to be sure. Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Please help id! Found in Spokane, WA in basement. Sorry nothing in image for scale but I’d say it was almost the size of a quarter, legs included.

      Reply

    2. Hello Woody, thanks for sharing this great shot! The black upwards pointing hairs suggest that this is a Phidippus sp. jumping spider. My best guess is Phidippus regius, but a number of spiders in the Phidippus genus can have a very variable appearance.

      Reply

  9. My in law was in his garage, found this weird spider on his pants & took photo today. Fargo ND. He said it jumped, was small & hairy.

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    1. Hello Brenda, this is a jumping spider (family Salticidae). I think it might be a Phidippus sp. jumping spider – but I can’t tell the exact species.

      Reply

  10. I found this little friend in TX. I was sitting on my swing when she hopped up on my leg and was munching on what I think was a mosquito. She kept acting like she was going to attack other flies and mosquitos that were landing on my leg but they flew off to fast. 🙁 I was thinking MAYBE it was a grey wall jumper, but I am uncertain.

    Reply

    1. Hello Susie, thanks for getting in touch! Tan jumpers usually have an orange band below the eyes. I think this might be some type of Phidippus sp. jumper. The long black hairs pointing upwards from the head also suggest that.

      Reply

    2. Sorry to disagree but Phidippus Mystaceus are my absolute favorite and most researched jumping spider. This is not a Mystaceus, I am completely certain of that. The gray wall jumper (menemerus bivittatus) looks similar as far as abdomen goes to your picture but they usually have orange faces. However, the tan jumping spider has a bigger white band going across it’s face like your picture.

      https://bugguide.net/node/view/919497/bgimage

      Reply

    3. I am not 100% sure the spider you have here is a tan jumping spider at all and I do not believe it is a grey wall jumper even though that’s what I was thinking at first. There are lighter variations in color and I have seen tan jumpers with both white and orange faces. I have also seen pictures of gray jumping spiders with white below the eyes and a darker orange or light brown above the eyes on the top half of the face. Searching now I am seeing way more tan jumping spiders faces that resemble what you have here and some so light “tan” they almost look gray or white. Hopefully you can figure it out! Adorable spiders besides 🙂

      Reply

    1. Hello John, thanks for getting in touch! This is some type of jumping spider in the genus Phidippus. I can’t tell with certainty what species.

      Reply

  12. This tiny thing (smaller than the head of a pencil eraser) came out from under my keyboard just now as I was working. It kept the front 2 legs in the air for so long I thought it was some kind of insect.

    Reply

  13. This is a photo taken by a friend.
    Fog has gathered on the web.
    My personal educated guess, based on the reddish native grass supporting its web, would be a body length between .75 and 2.0 inches.

    Reply

    1. This spider is green and very small, i looked it up in Google lens it’s name is Lyssomanes viridis also known as the magnolia green jumper, please help me know how common is to find it. My name is Ricardo Espinoza and any credit please name my son Rodrigo Daniel Espinoza Agelvis. This spider spent about a hour on My arm “looking” straight at me, My son las trainning soccer so he came often to see it and tell the spider how he was doing and how beatifull the spider was. We are from Mérida a city in Venezuela , i also have a video

      Reply

    2. Hello Andrew, sorry about the delay in getting back to you. This is definitely a jumping spider, possibly in the genus Phidippus. An identification on species level is not possible.

      Reply

  14. Hello! I’m in central California and found this wee fellow hanging from my jasmine arch after a good watering. There was also a tiny white sling hanging near. Such a cutie.

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  15. I found this little guy in a sandy beach of the Potomac River in King George County, Virginia. It jumped short distances, so I’m thinking it might be some sort of jumping spider, but the images don’t seem to be a good match.

    Reply

    1. Hi Brandon, this is definitely a harmless jumping spider. I can’t say with certainty what species it is, due to the low image resolution. Compare images of male Plexippus paykulli, the pantropical jumping spider on Google – my closest guess.

      Reply

        1. Jumping spiders (family Salticidae) have the ability to jump distances over 50 times their own body size. They do this by suddenly increasing the pressure on their behind legs, which propels them forward. These spiders are not dangerous for humans.

          Reply

  19. Hello,
    Very nice website. I appreciate all the information. I couldn’t quite pin my spider in suspect. Could you offer any insight?

    I found it at 3am – I bumped the black dot with ym fingers – it moved like an ant so I tapped it with my fingers to kill it (it knows not to be in the kitchen). When I lifted my finger the spider was stuck to it. I went to more light and grabbed my camera to get a macro lense shot. This is what I saw. My concern is a red welt on my leg, and feeling very weak and ill since then. Both mark and spider same night.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jason, this is definitely some type of jumping spider – but I can’t say what species. Given its size, I highly doubt that it would be able to bite through human skin. If it did, it could hardly lead to any effects other than some local redness.
      Spiders don’t bite unprovoked – so your bite mark almost certainly comes from some type of insect or another bug.

      Reply

  20. I’m sitting at a bench near lady bird lake in Austin Texas. Suddenly this tiny spider walks up to me and has been following me since. I slide to one side of the bench, he walks back over to me. He even tried jumping onto my finger, but I shook him off. What kind of spider is it?

    Reply

    1. Hi Noah, this is a jumping spider of the genus Phidippus. I can’t determine the exact species.

      Reply

    1. Hi and thanks for sharing this great shot! Yes, this is a jumping spider of the genus Phidippus. I can’t ID the exact species off the image, though.

      Reply

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