Biology:Macaroeris nidicolens

Short description: Species of spider

Macaroeris nidicolens
male M. nidicolens from Cologne, Germany (2012)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Salticidae
Subfamily:	Salticinae
Genus:	Macaroeris
Species:	M. nidicolens
Binomial name
Macaroeris nidicolens (Walckenaer, 1802)
Synonyms
Aranea nidicolens Attus nidicolens Dendryphantes nebulosus Salticus vigilans Marpissa nardoi Attus castaneus Attus phrygianus Attus nitelinus Attus luridatus Marpessa ornata Dendryphantes nidicolens Euophrys luridata Marpissa grantii Marpissa ornata Dendryphantes grantii Dendryphantes nitelinus Dendryphantes nidicolioides Dendryphantes nidicolens Dendryphantes musae Dendryphantes granti Eris nidicolens Dendryphantes huberi

Macaroeris nidicolens is a species of jumping spider that occurs from Europe to Central Asia.

Description

Males reach a body length of 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in), females of 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in).

The male has reddish brown hairs surrounding its frontal eyes. Two white stripes reach along the prosoma towards the opisthosoma (abdomen). Several white spots cover the top of the prosoma, one bigger each behind the posterior lateral eyes. A white arch covers the anterior end of the abdomen, with pairs of white specks further down, four of which form a slanted cross near the posterior end.

The female is colored much lighter than the male. A white triangle sits in the middle of the prosoma, while the abdomen matches the male's.

Color and patterning can vary strongly in this species. Both sexes have black, curves tufts of hair on the sides behind the anterior lateral eyes.

Habitat

Macaroeris nidicolens prefers bushes in warm, dry, sunny to half-shaded areas.

Distribution

The species is found from Europe to Central Asia. In Germany it was found first in 1995 (Cologne), and seems to expand its area further.

Name

The species name is derived from Latin, and means "inhabiting a nest".

References

• Spinnen-Forum.de: Macaroeris nidicolens (see there for more detailed sources)
• Bellmann H. (2010): Der Kosmos Spinnenführer: Über 400 Arten Europas. Kosmos. 1. Auflage. ISBN:3-440-10114-2
• Platnick, Norman I. (2012): The world spider catalog, version 12.5. American Museum of Natural History.

External resources

• Pictures and diagnostic drawings of male and female M. nidicolens

Wikidata ☰ Q4743843 entry