Opisthoncus polyphemus explained

Opisthoncus polyphemus, also called the cyclops jumping spider, is a species of jumping spiders in the family Salticidae. It is found in New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.^[1]

The males are in length with the females slightly larger at 8-9mm, both with pale yellow-orange bodies with while markings.^[2] Its black eyes are made to look bigger by surrounding black circles giving rise to the polyphemus and Cyclops names.

Taxonomy

The species was described in 1867 by L. Koch as Attus polyphemus^[3] (by 1875 the author refers to it as in the genus Opisthoncus^[4]).

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cyclops Jumping Spider (Opisthoncus polyphemus) . iNaturalist Australia . 2 July 2024 . en-US.
2. Web site: Opisthoncus polyphemus (L. Koch, 1867) Cyclops Jumping Spider . www.arachne.org.au . 4 July 2024.
3. Koch. L.. 1867. Beschreibungen neuer Arachniden und Myriapoden. II.. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich–Königlichen Zoologisch–Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien. 17. 173–250.
4. Book: Die Arachniden Australiens nach der Natur beschrieben und abgebildet. 1, pt.2. 1875–1883. Koch. L.. von Keyserling. E.. Verlag von Bauer & Raspe. Nürnberg.