An iridescent male Jumping Spider (unidentified species) leaps with its third pair of legs extended. Photo taken in Costa Rica with high-speed flash photography.

Unidentified Male From Sarapiquí

Ant Mimic Genus Synemosyna from Santa Elena (near the Monte Verde cloud forest) – This spider is 5-6 mm long and is practically indistinguishable from an ant in its appearance and the way it moves. The two front legs are held out and waved like an ant’s antennae.

Ant Mimic Genus Synemosyna from Santa Elena (near the Monte Verde cloud forest) – This spider is 5-6 mm long and is practically indistinguishable from an ant in its appearance and the way it moves. The two front legs are held out and waved like an ant’s antennae.

Unidentified Species or Genus from San Jose
A male Costa Rican Jumping Spider, species unidentified, leaping towards the camera. Photo taken with high-speed flash photography.
Genus Chapoda
Colonus sylvanus male

This species also occurs in the Southeaster United States

A male Jumping Spider of the species Colonus sylvanus, leaping onto a leaf. Photo taken in Costa Rica with high-speed flash photography.
Colonus sylvanus Male

This species also occurs in the Southeaster United States

Unidentified Genus/Species, probably a mature femaie

This species also occurs in the Southeaster United States

A green eyed Costarican Jumping spider leaping onto a leaf (unidentified species). Photo taken with high-speed flash photography.
Unidentified Genus/Species

This species also occurs in the Southeaster United States

Unidentified Genus/Species

This male may belong to the same species as the photo above. The colors and markings, as well as the thicker front legs, are probably used for courtship and for male-male threat displays.

Menemerus bivittatus

Menemerus bivittatus is a native of Africa and has been introduced into many other parts of the world. It is very commonly found on the walls of buildings.

Menemerus bivittatus
A Costarican Jumping Spider, of the genus Lyssomanes, leaping onto a blade of grass. Photo taken with high-speed flash photography.
Genus Lyssomanes

Why is one eye black and the other green? Unlike us humans, jumping spiders can’t rotate their eyes, because the lenses are a fixed part of the exoskeleton. However, jumping spiders can scan their visual field, but they do it in a very interesting way. Their retinas can move from side-to-side (see link below). In this photo, the retina of the left right eye is visible and makes the eye black. This video and also this video show the retinas moving.