Marpissa formosa
This record describes Marpissa formosa (species). Recorded family: Salticidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Male Palp Female This species is largely replaced by Marpissa bina in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina (where there may be some overlap).
Identification notes
Male Palp Female
Wikipedia reference for Marpissa formosa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marpissa_formosa.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Salticidae (Jumping Spiders)
- Genus
- Marpissa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
This species is widespread throughout the eastern U.S. west to Kansas and Texas but absent from Georgia and Florida.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: (Banks, 1892)
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Marpissa formosa. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.
Ecological role of the group
Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.
Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Marpissa formosa (6)
Photo credits: (c) George Keller, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by George Keller | (c) Brian Gooding, all rights reserved, uploaded by Brian Gooding | (c) Victor W Fazio III, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Victor W Fazio III | (c) mmnat, all rights reserved, uploaded by mmnat | (c) Robby Deans, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Robby Deans | Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by cheins , Dick Walton
Frequently Asked Questions About Marpissa formosa
What is Marpissa formosa?
Marpissa formosa is a species in the family Salticidae, within the order Araneae.
How do you identify Marpissa formosa?
Male Palp Female
Where is Marpissa formosa found?
Range: This species is widespread throughout the eastern U.S. west to Kansas and Texas but absent from Georgia and Florida.