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Comments & ID Thoughts
I don't know much about spiders, but this looks like a Platycryptus californicus based on pictures I've seen.
Crawled on me while I was sitting in a bean bag. Stayed low to ground after I flailed to get it off me. Couldn't climb out of the glass jar I moved it in. About the size of a dime.
- Submitted by:
- Submitted: Aug 5, 2020
- Photographed: Aug 5, 2020
- Spider: Unidentified
- Location: Provo, Utah, United States
- Spotted Indoors: Other
- Found in web?: No
- Attributes:
Platycryptus undatus. Also known as a Tan Jumping Spider. They are quite friendly and quite harmless. I have found these guys quite a bit, and I have kept a couple as pets because they’re so friendly and easy going. Great picture!
Cool! Thanks. How do you distinguish the species? The two look very similar to my untrained eye.
The primary identifier is range. Platycryptus undatus is the eatern species (as far west as MN, TX, and NE), while P. californicus is the primary western species. P. arizonensis is also found in the Southwest, including Utah. I would be inclined to agree with Ae6nr’s original ID.
Yeah, I could be wrong.
No worries. We’re all learning here. π
I agree with the assessment of P. californicus.
http://idtools.org/id/table_grape/spider/factsheet.php?name=Platycryptus+californicus
How funny. I’ve tried to identify mine for a year now. Since I never had anyone comment to confirm it correctly I just assumed I was accurate in my assessment. And this whole time it was a Californicus…
*Face palm*
Donβt be embarrassed. π I am really just an advanced novice and misidentify often. Iβve also read that 10% of all spiders are Salticidae (jumpers), so there are many species that look extremely similar.
Thanks for the information! I am pleasantly surprised by how active this website is. Maybe identifying spiders will become a new hobby if so many people are interested. π
I’m also a newcomer to spider identifying. I’ve been calling my porch jumpers “Platycryptus undatus” for three months and only recently learned that they have to be Platycryptus californicus instead. But they’re still their curious, adorable little selves no matter what we call them. They don’t mind a bit.
I tried IDing a grey Phidippus last week. I looked for grey Phidippus species on BugGuide.net and felt thoroughly intimidated by all the possibilities. And that’s just one genus!
Yes sir, and there can even be shade variations within the same species! Group input is key.
To be honest, this is the most conversation I have seen on a photo submission, but I have only been a member here for maybe a year.
That being said, if any of you would be willing to peruse some of my photo submissions I would be grateful…I have quite a few for which I am inconclusive. π π π
Sure, I’ll take a look at them. I’ve seen quite a few of your photos as you’ve submitted them, and they’re really great.
Thank you! Honestly, the macro lens does most of the work!