Peckhamia americana
This record describes Peckhamia americana (species). Recorded family: Salticidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Peckhamia americana is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It is found in the United States, Mexico, and Hispaniola.
Identification notes
Epigynum Pedipalp
Wikipedia reference for Peckhamia americana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peckhamia americana.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Salticidae (Jumping Spiders)
- Genus
- Peckhamia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
New Hampshire west to Kansas and south to Texas.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author of the species - Peckham & Peckham, 1892
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Peckhamia americana. 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 Peckhamia americana (4)
Photo credits: (c) Tiziano Hurni-Cranston, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tiziano Hurni-Cranston | (c) shespider, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by shespider | (c) Giff Beaton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Giff Beaton | Contributed by John R. Maxwell; Additional contributions by cheins , dragonfly12
Frequently Asked Questions About Peckhamia americana
What is Peckhamia americana?
Peckhamia americana is a species in the family Salticidae, within the order Araneae.
How do you identify Peckhamia americana?
Epigynum Pedipalp
Where is Peckhamia americana found?
Range: New Hampshire west to Kansas and south to Texas.