When Maratus spiders start dancing, they unfurl rainbow flags and tap their legs like tiny tap dancers on a miniature stage! Ever wondered why these fascinating Australian peacock spiders put on such an elaborate show?
The peacock jumping spider mating dance is one of the most dazzling displays in the animal kingdom.
Key Points:
- Peacock spiders belong to the Maratus genus in the Salticidae family
- Males have colorful flaps they show during mating dances
- Scientists have found about 90 different types
- They are very small – only 3.5-5.5mm long
- They are not dangerous to humans
What Are Peacock Spiders?
Peacock spiders are tiny little arachnids that hop around like they’ve had too much coffee! They’re part of the jumping spider family, and scientists call them Maratus. That name has been around since 1878, almost as old as my grandma’s cookie recipe!
The most famous one is Maratus volans, or the Flying Peacock Spider. Don’t panic—they can’t actually fly! Trust me, I nearly dropped my phone when I first heard the name. The “flying” part just describes how the boys lift their colorful bum-flaps when they’re trying to impress the ladies.
“These spiders are like tiny works of art,” says Dr. Jürgen Otto, who has found more than 50 new Maratus types. “Each species has its own special pattern and dance.”
Where They Live
These spiders are total beach bums who never leave Australia. You might spot them if you’re vacationing in:
- Western Australia
- Queensland
- New South Wales
- Near Sydney and Perth
- In the Joseph Banks Native Plants Reserve
They’re not picky about neighborhoods. Some live in fancy forest high-rises, others prefer suburban grasslands. A few are city slickers living in urban gardens! You’ll find them from sea level all the way up to hills 1000 meters high—that’s higher than my last electricity bill made me jump!
How They Look
Maratus spiders are itsy-bitsy. Most are about 4mm long—smaller than the chocolate chip in your cookie! I once spent an hour trying to photograph one with my phone. Epic fail!
The male and female look totally different, like they’re from different planets. Scientists call this sexual dimorphism, but I call it “dressing to impress.” Boys wear flashy colors on their special body flaps, while girls keep it casual in brown or gray—like me versus my brother at family photos.
| Feature | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 3.5-5.5mm | 3.5-5.5mm |
| Color | Bright blues, reds, greens | Brown or gray |
| Abdominal flap | Yes – colorful | No |
| Purpose | Used for mating display | Hunting and laying eggs |
Their spider vision would make eagle eyes look blind! With 4 pairs of eyes, these tiny dudes can see colors that would break our Instagram filters.
The Famous Dance
Now for the main event—their mating dance is the original “Dance Dance Revolution”! Males bust moves that would make Bruno Mars jealous, all to win a lady spider’s heart.
During this spider courtship:
- The male spots a female (cue the dramatic music)
- He lifts his colorful abdominal flap (jazz hands!)
- He waves his legs in a special pattern (left, right, shimmy, shake)
- He makes tiny vibration signals (like sending spider text messages)
- He moves from side to side (the original Spider-Slide before it was cool)
This dance-off can last 5-10 minutes. And talk about persistence—the poor guy might need to try 50 times before getting a date! Only about 30% of dances lead to spider reproduction. Tougher than human dating apps, if you ask me!
Important Species
Scientists have found about 90 types of Maratus so far. That’s more varieties than my local coffee shop has drinks! Here are the celebrities of the spider world:
- Maratus volans (Flying Peacock Spider) – the original showoff
- Maratus speciosus (Coastal Peacock Spider) – the beach bum
- Maratus pavonis – the classic model
- Maratus splendens – the extra sparkly one
- Maratus karrie – the new kid on the block
- Maratus jactatus – the one that looks like it’s wearing party confetti
“Each new species we find shows us something new about spider evolution and spider behavior,” says Dr. David Hill, who studies spider taxonomy. I think he has the coolest job title at parties: “I discover dancing spiders, what do you do?”
Research and Photography
Macro photography has turned these eight-legged nobodies into A-list celebrities. Before good cameras, people walked right past them—like ignoring a Hollywood star in disguise!
The Australian Museum and University of New South Wales have done serious homework on their spider classification and spider ecology. Meanwhile, I can’t even classify my laundry properly!
Thanks to wildlife photography shared on YouTube, millions of people now swipe past cat videos to watch these little spiders instead. With over 30 million views, these tiny dancers are more popular than some human influencers! Just last month, a new peacock spider video went viral alongside the Paris Olympics closing ceremony clips.
Are They Dangerous?
Chill out! Despite being spiders, Maratus species couldn’t harm a fly… well, actually they do harm flies, that’s dinner! But they’re completely harmless to humans. They’re too teeny to bite through skin. Their days are spent hunting bugs smaller than a comma on this page and practicing their fancy footwork.
Protection Status
We’re still in the dark about whether these spiders need saving. Most Maratus species haven’t gotten enough attention from the science nerds who study entomology and arachnology.
Some spider habitats in Australia are disappearing faster than cookies at a kid’s party, which might be bad news for certain peacock spiders. With Australia’s recent focus on wildlife protection following the 2023 bushfires, hopefully these tiny dancers won’t be forgotten!
Learn More
Wanna see these amazing little performers strut their stuff? Pop over to Dr. Jürgen Otto’s YouTube channel or visit the Australian Museum’s spider information page. My family and I spent a whole Sunday evening watching these videos instead of our regular movie night—way more entertaining!
These tiny jumping spiders prove that sometimes the best things come in small packages. Like my grandma always says about her secret chocolate chip recipe, it’s not the size that counts, it’s how you shake your stuff!
