Wacky Wednesday: Peacock spiders dance for their lives
Literally. Shake that booty or get eaten!
The tiny Peacock spiders (genus Maratus) dance their way to mating rights, but more than that – if they don’t shake that booty to their proposed mate’s satisfaction they may get eaten.
Male peacock spiders have evolved spectacular iridescent fans to get the attention of a potential mate and sexy dance moves to.show them off. The dance of each species is unique, but most of them involve sensual leg waving and booty shaking.
A male also pauses his dance to drum on the ground, and occasionally on the female’s head. The vibrations of the drumbeats travel across the ground and up the legs of the female, which get them going.
Like all jumping spiders, peacock spiders don’t build webs. They stalk their prey and when they’re in position they pounce. They can take down prey three or four times their size.
Maratus Speciosus
The common name of this Australian species is Coastal Peacock spider. Until recently it was called Saitis specious, but it is very similar to other species of Maratus and therefore is now included in this genus.
