Biosphoto : Agence Photographique spécialisée dans la Nature et l'Environnement

Choose a title:

Adam Fletcher - The peacock spider

The first record of Maratus amabilis was from 1878 ,a single pinned male specimen collected in the nineteenth century and up until as recently as 2010 only seven species of Peacock Spider were known of and described. In the short period that takes us to 2016 there is now around thirty-nine known and described species, of which Project maratus has discovered four in just over twelve months. I believe through what the Project maratus team have learned so far is that many more species with new variant attributes are out there to be found.

These spiders are not an easy subject to photograph due to their size and speed of movement (they are a Jumping spider). To achieve macro clarity for identification purposes I use Canon bodies (5DMK2 and a 60D ) along with either a Canon MP-e65mm f2.8 1-5x macro lens or sometimes my Old Zeiss C/Y Vario-Sonnar 35-70 f/3.4 T* lens on macro tubes. The hardest and most important part is the lighting and diffuser, a custom made “off camera” speed light set up that sits above the end of the lens and is as close to the subject as possible along with a Godox PB960 PROPAC Power pack to power the speed light. As the subject is so small and depth of field is so narrow focus stacking can help a lot. That is if you can get enough shots off quick enough before the spider moves.

A male Maratus speciosus "peacock jumping spider" performing mating courtship dance for a female spider.A male Maratus speciosus "peacock jumping spider" performing mating courtship dance for a female spider.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2102543

A male Maratus speciosus "peacock jumping spider" performing

Right Managed

cCose up shot of a deceased Peacock jumping spider (Maratus volans)cCose up shot of a deceased Peacock jumping spider (Maratus volans)© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2102551

cCose up shot of a deceased Peacock jumping spider (Maratus

Right Managed

A shot showing the back patterns and colours of a Male Maratus speciosus "peacock spider".A shot showing the back patterns and colours of a Male Maratus speciosus "peacock spider".© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2102544

A shot showing the back patterns and colours of a Male Maratus

Right Managed

A deceased Maratus pavonis.A deceased Maratus pavonis.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2102547

A deceased Maratus pavonis.

Right Managed

Male Peacock spider (Maratus volans), AustraliaMale Peacock spider (Maratus volans), Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064216

Male Peacock spider (Maratus volans), Australia

Right Managed

A male Maratus madelineae -variant.A male Maratus madelineae -variant.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2102548

A male Maratus madelineae -variant.

Right Managed

Male Peacock Jumping Spider mating display - Australia ; A male performing a mating dance to try to impress a female.The 3rd legs are both raised and are continously waved about and the brightly coloured abdomen is then raised and moved from side to side, all trying to impress his mate. Spider is roughly 4mm in size.

Male Peacock Jumping Spider mating display - AustraliaMale Peacock Jumping Spider mating display - Australia ; A male performing a mating dance to try to impress a female.The 3rd legs are both raised and are continously waved about and the brightly coloured abdomen is then raised and moved from side to side, all trying to impress his mate. Spider is roughly 4mm in size.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2035989

Male Peacock Jumping Spider mating display - Australia ; A male

Right Managed

A male peacock spider (Maratus splendens) from Barrington Tops NP NSW AustraliaA male peacock spider (Maratus splendens) from Barrington Tops NP NSW Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064241

A male peacock spider (Maratus splendens) from Barrington Tops NP

Right Managed

Male peacock jumping spider (Maratus tasmanicas) from Western AustraliaMale peacock jumping spider (Maratus tasmanicas) from Western Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064227

Male peacock jumping spider (Maratus tasmanicas) from Western

Right Managed

This is the leftover "exoskeleton" or exuvium from a male Peacock Jumping Spider (Maratus velutinus), the shed after a molt sitting on a finger tip to show the size of these spiders. AustraliaThis is the leftover "exoskeleton" or exuvium from a male Peacock Jumping Spider (Maratus velutinus), the shed after a molt sitting on a finger tip to show the size of these spiders. Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064223

This is the leftover "exoskeleton" or exuvium from a male Peacock

Right Managed

Male Peacock Spider showing his colorful abdomen - Australia ; A rear macro shot to show the amazingly patterned and coloured scales around the abdomen. The male of this species is coloured and patterned in this way to aid in mating to attract a female.Spider is only around 5mm in size.

Male Peacock Spider showing his colorful abdomen - AustraliaMale Peacock Spider showing his colorful abdomen - Australia ; A rear macro shot to show the amazingly patterned and coloured scales around the abdomen. The male of this species is coloured and patterned in this way to aid in mating to attract a female.Spider is only around 5mm in size.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2035995

Male Peacock Spider showing his colorful abdomen - Australia ; A

Right Managed

male Maratus amabilis "peacock spider"doing the funky dance for a female, Mt Kaputar variant from NSW Australa.male Maratus amabilis "peacock spider"doing the funky dance for a female, Mt Kaputar variant from NSW Australa.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064229

male Maratus amabilis "peacock spider"doing the funky dance for a

Right Managed

A close up shot of a male Maratus pardus "peacock jumping spider".A close up shot of a male Maratus pardus "peacock jumping spider".© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2102542

A close up shot of a male Maratus pardus "peacock jumping spider".

Right Managed

A male peacock spider (Maratus splendens) from Barrington Tops NP NSW AustraliaA male peacock spider (Maratus splendens) from Barrington Tops NP NSW Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064240

A male peacock spider (Maratus splendens) from Barrington Tops NP

Right Managed

male Peacock spider (Maratus harrisi), Australiamale Peacock spider (Maratus harrisi), Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064254

male Peacock spider (Maratus harrisi), Australia

Right Managed

A recently re-discovered undescribed species of Peacock jumping spider (Maratus ) from Southern Queensland. This was found with Michael Duncan and Michael Doe. We were given the location by PHD peacock spider researcher Maddie Girard who recently re-discovered it. It was only known from a drawing from a 1989 publication by Davies and Zabka (Mem Qd Mus. 27(2): 189-266) and a couple of museum specimens that the drawings were based on.A recently re-discovered undescribed species of Peacock jumping spider (Maratus ) from Southern Queensland. This was found with Michael Duncan and Michael Doe. We were given the location by PHD peacock spider researcher Maddie Girard who recently re-discovered it. It was only known from a drawing from a 1989 publication by Davies and Zabka (Mem Qd Mus. 27(2): 189-266) and a couple of museum specimens that the drawings were based on.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2064259

A recently re-discovered undescribed species of Peacock jumping

Right Managed

Peacock spider (Maratus bubo) from Western Australia.Peacock spider (Maratus bubo) from Western Australia.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2102537

Peacock spider (Maratus bubo) from Western Australia.

Right Managed

Male Jumper Spider feeding on a long legged fly - AustraliaMale Jumper Spider feeding on a long legged fly - Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2036727

Male Jumper Spider feeding on a long legged fly - Australia

Right Managed

Male peacock spider showing his colorful abdomen - Australia ; performing mating dance to a female spider. 3rd legs are raised in the air and rear flap on abdomen is opened and raised. Showing the brilliant patterns and colours.

Male peacock spider showing his colorful abdomen - AustraliaMale peacock spider showing his colorful abdomen - Australia ; performing mating dance to a female spider. 3rd legs are raised in the air and rear flap on abdomen is opened and raised. Showing the brilliant patterns and colours.© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2036717

Male peacock spider showing his colorful abdomen - Australia ;

Right Managed

Jumping spider feeding on a fly - NSW AustraliaJumping spider feeding on a fly - NSW Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2047907

Jumping spider feeding on a fly - NSW Australia

Right Managed

Orange faced jumper spider moult case - AustraliaOrange faced jumper spider moult case - Australia© Adam Fletcher / Biosphoto - RM

2047932

Orange faced jumper spider moult case - Australia

Right Managed

Phone number:

Call:

Name:

Company name:

Your request has been registered.

To use this feature you must first register or login.

To organize photos in lightboxes you must first register or login. Registration is FREE! Lightboxes allow you to categorize your photos, to keep them when you sign in and send them by email.

A Biosphoto authorization has to be granted prior using this feature. We'll get in touch shortly, please check that your contact info is up to date. Feel free to contact us in case of no answer during office hours (Paris time).

Delete permanently this lightbox?

Delete permanently all items?

Title :

Comment :

The lightbox has been duplicated

The lightbox has been copied in your personal account

Your request has been registered. You will receive an e-mail shortly in order to download your images.

You can insert a comment that will appear within your downloads reports.

Recipient (several e-mail addresses are allowed,
separated with semicolons ';')

Your attached message:

Your name (to sign your message):

Your e-mail address (for reply):

Your lightbox has been sent.

In case of modification, changes will be seen by your recipient.

If deleted, your lightbox won't be avalaible for your recipient anymore.

Galleries

Adam Fletcher - The peacock spider