Aelurillus v-insignitus explained

Aelurillus v-insignitus is a species of jumping spiders.

Appearance

The male has v-shaped rows of hairs on its head and a pronounced white median stripe on its abdomen. The female is mottled brown. The spider can reach a length of 4-.

Name

Insignitus is Latin for "signed", because of the white chevron on the back of the male spider, which is in the form of the letter "V". This letter was originally spelled one v above another V,^[1] which could also be interpreted as a double V or W, but usually is interpreted as "V".^[2]

Distribution

A. v-insignitus occurs in the Palaearctic. It is the only Aelurillus species that occurs in northwestern Europe.

External links

• • Photography of male and female
• Short animation of courtship dance

Notes and References

1. p. 121 in Clerck, C. 1757. Svenska Spindlar uti sina hufvud-slågter indelte samt under några och sextio särskildte arter beskrefne och med illuminerade figurer uplyste. - Aranei Svecici, descriptionibus et figuris æneis illustrati, ad genera subalterna redacti, speciebus ultra LX determinati. - pp. [1-8], 1-154, pl. 1-6. Stockholmiæ. (L. Salvii).
2. Web site: The World Spider Catalog, Version 11.0 . Norman I. Platnick . Norman I. Platnick . September 12, 2010 . American Museum of Natural History. Salticidae