Jumping Spiders of America North of Mexico

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.

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

• Attinella concolor (Banks, 1895)
• Attinella dorsata (Banks, 1895)
• Attinella juniperi (Gertsch & Riechert, 1976) 

Attulus

• Attulus finschi (L. Koch, 1879) 
• Attulus floricola (C. L. Koch, 1837) 
• Attulus pubescens (Fabricius, 1775)
• Attulus striatus (Emerton, 1911) 
• Attulus sylvestris (Emerton, 1891)

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 hesperus (Richman & Vetter, 2004)
• Colonus sylvanus (Hentz, 1846)
• Colonus puerperus (Hentz, 1846)

Hyetussa

• Hyetussa alternata Gertsch, 1936
• Hyetussa complicata Gertsch, 1936

Sarinda

• Sarinda hentzi (Banks, 1913) 

Sittisax

• Sittisax ranieri (Peckham & Peckham, 1909)

Synemosyna

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

• Synemosyna formica Hentz, 1846
• Synemosyna petrunkevitchi (Chapin, 1922)

Tomis

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

Clade Salticoida

Admestina

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:

• Admestina archboldi Piel, 1992
• Admestina tibialis (C. L. Koch, 1846)
• Admestina wheeleri Peckham & Peckham, 1888

Anasaitis

• Anasaitis canosa (Walckenaer, 1837) 

Attidops

• Attidops cinctipes (Banks, 1900)
• Attidops cutleri Edwards, 1999 
• Attidops nickersoni Edwards, 1999 
• Attidops youngi (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 

Bagheera

• Bagheera prosper (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 

Beata

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

• Beata wickhami (Peckham & Peckham, 1894)

Bellota

• Bellota micans Peckham & Peckham, 1909 
• Bellota wheeleri Peckham & Peckham, 1909

Chalcoscirtus

• Chalcoscirtus carbonarius Emerton, 1917 
• Chalcoscirtus diminutus (Banks, 1896)
• Chalcoscirtus glacialis Caporiacco, 1935 – (Alaska)

Cheliferoides

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.

• C. longimanus Pickard-Cambridge, 1901
• C. planus Pickard-Cambridge, 1901
• C. segmentatus Pickard-Cambridge, 1901

Chinattus

• Chinattus parvulus (Banks, 1895) 

Corythalia

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 (Karsch, 1880) – Introduced to Hawaii from Asia

Evarcha

• Evarcha amabilis (C. L. Koch, 1846) 
• Evarcha proszynskii Marusik & Logunov, 1998 
• Evarcha hoyi (Peckham & Peckham, 1883)

Eyuophrys

• E. monadnock Emerton, 1891

Eris

• Eris flava (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 
• Eris floridana (Banks, 1904) 
• Eris limbata 
• Eris militaris (Hentz, 1845) 
• Eris rufa (C. L. Koch, 1846) 

Ghelna

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

Habronnatus

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.

• Habronattus agilis (Banks, 1893) 
• Habronattus alachua Griswold, 1987 
• Habronattus altanus (Gertsch, 1934) 
• Habronattus americanus (Keyserling, 1885) 
• Habronattus amicus (Peckham & Peckham, 1909) 
• Habronattus anepsius (Chamberlin, 1924)
• Habronattus arcalorus Maddison & Maddison, 2016 
• Habronattus ballatoris Griswold, 1987 
• Habronattus borealis (Banks, 1895)
• Habronattus brunneus (Peckham & Peckham, 1901)
• Habronattus bulbipes (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1941)
• Habronattus calcaratus (Banks, 1904) 
• Habronattus californicus (Banks, 1904)
• Habronattus captiosus (Gertsch, 1934) 
• Habronattus carolinensis (Peckham & Peckham, 1901)
• Habronattus clypeatus (Banks, 1895) 
• Habronattus cockerelli (Banks, 1901) 
• Habronattus coecatus (Hentz, 1846)
• Habronattus cognatus (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Habronattus conjunctus (Banks, 1898) 
• Habronattus cuspidatus Griswold, 1987
• Habronattus decorus (Blackwall, 1846) 
• Habronattus delectus (Peckham & Peckham, 1909) 
• Habronattus dorotheae (Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936)
• Habronattus elegans (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Habronattus fallax (Peckham & Peckham, 1909) 
• Habronattus festus (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Habronattus formosus (Banks, 1906) 
• Habronattus forticulus (Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936) 
• Habronattus georgiensis (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1944)
• Habronattus geronimoi Griswold, 1987 
• Habronattus gilaensis Maddison & Maddison, 2016
• Habronattus hallani (Richman, 1973)
• Habronattus hirsutus (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 
• Habronattus icenoglei (Griswold, 1979)
• Habronattus jucundus (Peckham & Peckham, 1909) 
• Habronattus kawini (Griswold, 1979)
• Habronattus klauseri (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Habronattus kubai (Griswold, 1979)
• Habronattus leuceres (Chamberlin, 1925) 
• Habronattus luminosus Maddison, 2017
• Habronattus mataxus Griswold, 1987
• Habronattus mexicanus (Peckham & Peckham, 1896)
• Habronattus moratus (Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936) 
• Habronattus mustaciatus (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1941) 
• Habronattus nemoralis (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Habronattus neomexicanus (Chamberlin, 1925) 
• Habronattus notialis Griswold, 1987
• Habronattus ocala Griswold, 1987 
• Habronattus ophrys Griswold, 1987 
• Habronattus orbus Griswold, 1987 
• Habronattus oregonensis (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 
• Habronattus peckhami (Banks, 1921)
• Habronattus pugillis Griswold, 1987
• Habronattus pyrrithrix (Chamberlin, 1924)
• Habronattus sabulosus (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Habronattus sansoni (Emerton, 1915) 
• Habronattus schlingeri (Griswold, 1979) 
• Habronattus signatus (Banks, 1900) 
• Habronattus sugillatus Griswold, 1987 
• Habronattus superciliosus (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Habronattus tarsalis (Banks, 1904)
• Habronattus texanus (Chamberlin, 1924)
• Habronattus tranquillus (Peckham & Peckham, 1901)
• Habronattus trimaculatus Bryant, 1945 
• Habronattus tuberculatus (Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936) 
• Habronattus ustulatus (Griswold, 1979)
• Habronattus venatoris Griswold, 1987
• Habronattus virgulatus Griswold, 1987
• Habronattus viridipes (Hentz, 1846)

Hakka

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.

• Hakka himeshimensis

Hasarius

• Hasarius adansoni (Audouin, 1826) – Introduced to North America from Asia

Havaika (Hawaii)

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.

• Hentzia alamosa Richman, 2010 
• Hentzia chekika Richman, 1989 
• Hentzia elegans (Keyserling, 1885) 
• Hentzia grenada (Peckham & Peckham, 1894) 
• Hentzia mitrata (Hentz, 1846) 
• Hentzia palmarum (Hentz, 1832) 
• Hentzia pima Richman, 1989

Leptofreya

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 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

• M. lineata (C. L. Koch, 1846) 
• M. grata (Gertsch, 1936) 
• M. formosa (Banks, 1892)
• M. dentoides Barnes, 1958
• M. bryantae (Jones, 1945) 
• M. bina (Hentz, 1846)
• M. obtusa Barnes, 1958
• M. pikei (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 
• M. robusta (Banks, 1906) 
• M. sulcosa Barnes, 1958 

Menemerus

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:

• M. bivittatus – Gray Wall Jumper (Dufour, 1831) 
• M. semilimbatus (Hahn, 1829) 

Messua

• Messua limbata (Banks, 1898)

Metacyrba

• Metacyrba floridana Gertsch, 1934
• Metacyrba punctata (Peckham & Peckham, 1894)
• Metacyrba taeniola (Hentz, 1846) 

Metaphidippus

• Metaphidippus annectans (Chamberlin, 1929) 
• Metaphidippus carmenensis (Chamberlin, 1924)
• Metaphidippus chera (Chamberlin, 1924)
• Metaphidippus diplacis (Chamberlin, 1924)
• Metaphidippus emmiltus Maddison, 1996
• Metaphidippus iviei (Roewer, 1951) 
• Metaphidippus longipalpus F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901
• Metaphidippus manni (Peckham & Peckham, 1901) 
• Metaphidippus siticulosus (Peckham & Peckham, 1909)
• Metaphidippus texanus (Banks, 1904) 

Mexigonus

• Mexigonus arizonensis (Banks, 1904)
• Mexigonus minutus (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901) 
• Mexigonus morosus (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 

Myrmarachne

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

Naphrys

• Naphrys acerba (Peckham & Peckham, 1909)
• Naphrys bufoides (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1944) 
• Naphrys pulex (Hentz, 1846)
• Naphrys xerophila (Richman, 1981) 

Neon

• Neon avalonus Gertsch & Ivie, 1955
• Neon ellamae Gertsch & Ivie, 1955 
• Neon nelli Peckham & Peckham, 1888 
• Neon pixii Gertsch & Ivie, 1955
• Neon plutonus Gertsch & Ivie, 1955
• Neon reticulatus (Blackwall, 1853)

Neonella

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

Paradamoetas

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

Peramaevia

• Paramaevia hobbsae (Barnes, 1955)
• Paramaevia michelsoni Barnes, 1955
• Paramaevia poultoni Peckham & Peckham, 1901

Paramarpissa

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

Paraphidippus

• Paraphidippus aurantius (Lucas, 1833)
• Paraphidippus basalis (Banks, 1904) 
• Paraphidippus fartilis (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 

Peckhamia

• Peckhamia americana (Peckham & Peckham, 1892)
• Peckhamia picata (Hentz, 1846) 
• Peckhamia scorpionia (Hentz, 1846) 
• Peckhamia seminola Gertsch, 1936

Pelegrina

• 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

• 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 (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 adumbratus Gertsch, 1934
• Phidippus apacheanus Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1929 
• Phidippus ardens Peckham & Peckham, 1901 
• Phidippus arizonensis (Peckham & Peckham, 1883)
• Phidippus asotus Chamberlin & Ivie, 1933
• Phidippus audax (Hentz, 1845) 
• Phidippus aureus Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus bidentatus F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1901 
• Phidippus boei Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus borealis Banks, 1895 
• Phidippus californicus Peckham & Peckham, 1901 
• Phidippus cardinalis (Hentz, 1845)
• Phidippus carneus Peckham & Peckham, 1896
• Phidippus carolinensis Peckham & Peckham, 1909 
• Phidippus clarus Keyserling, 1885 
• Phidippus comatus Peckham & Peckham, 1901
• Phidippus concinnus Gertsch, 1934 
• Phidippus cryptus Edwards, 2004
• Phidippus felinus Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus insignarius C. L. Koch, 1846 
• Phidippus johnsoni (Peckham & Peckham, 1883) 
• Phidippus kastoni Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus lynceus Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus morpheus Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus mystaceus (Hentz, 1846) 
• Phidippus nikites Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 
• Phidippus octopunctatus (Peckham & Peckham, 1883)
• Phidippus olympus Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus otiosus (Hentz, 1846) 
• Phidippus phoenix Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus pius Scheffer, 1905 
• Phidippus princeps (Peckham & Peckham, 1883) 
• Phidippus pruinosus Peckham & Peckham, 1909
• Phidippus pulcherrimus Keyserling, 1885
• Phidippus purpuratus Keyserling, 1885
• Phidippus putnami (Peckham & Peckham, 1883) 
• Phidippus regius C. L. Koch, 1846 
• Phidippus richmani Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus texanus Banks, 1906 
• Phidippus tigris Edwards, 2004
• Phidippus toro Edwards, 1978
• Phidippus tux Pinter, 1970 
• Phidippus tyrannus Edwards, 2004 
• Phidippus tyrrelli Peckham & Peckham, 1901
• Phidippus ursulus Edwards, 2004
• Phidippus vexans Edwards, 2004
• Phidippus whitmani Peckham & Peckham, 1909 
• Phidippus workmani Peckham & Peckham, 1901 

Phintelloides

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

Phlegra

• P. hentzi (Marx, 1890) 

Platycryptus

• Platycryptus arizonensis (Barnes, 1958) 
• Platycryptus californicus (Peckham & Peckham, 1888) 
• Platycryptus undatus (De Geer, 1778)

Plexippus

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

Poultonella

• P. alboimmaculata
• P. nuecesensis

Pseudeuophrys

• Pseudeuophrys erratica (Walckenaer, 1826) Introduced to the USA from Asia
• Pseudeuophrys lanigera (Simon, 1871)

Rhetenor

• R. texanus

Salticus

• Salticus austinensis Gertsch, 1936 
• Salticus falcarius (Hentz, 1846) 
• Salticus palpalis (Banks, 1904)
• Salticus peckhamae (Cockerell, 1897) 
• Salticus scenicus (Clerck, 1757) 

Sassacus

• Sassacus cyaneus (Hentz, 1846) 
• Sassacus paiutus (Gertsch, 1934) 
• Sassacus papenhoei Peckham & Peckham, 1895

Sibianor

• Sibianor aemulus (Gertsch, 1934)

Synageles

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

• Synageles bishopi Cutler, 1988 
• Synageles canadensis Cutler, 1988 
• Synageles idahoanus (Gertsch, 1934)
• Synageles mexicanus Cutler, 1988 
• Synageles leechi Cutler, 1988
• Synageles noxiosus (Hentz, 1850) 
• Synageles occidentalis Cutler, 1988 
• Synageles venator (Lucas, 1836)

Talavera

• Talavera minuta (Banks, 1895) 

Terralonus

• 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

• Tutelina elegans (Hentz, 1846)
• Tutelina formicaria (Emerton, 1891)
• Tutelina harti (Emerton, 1891)
• Tutelina similis (Banks, 1895) 

Zygoballus

• Zygoballus iridescens Banks, 1895
• Zygoballus nervosus (Peckham & Peckham, 1888)
• Zygoballus rufipes Peckham & Peckham, 1885
• Zygoballus sexpunctatus (Hentz, 1845)