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Red Backed Jumping Spider

Phidippus johnsoni

Photo by NickIrvine1
Published on Project Noah
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38.8, -120.14

Field Notes

Description:

About 1 - 1.5 cm long. Found under a small boulder in the Livers Leap campground. Mixed conifer, gravel soul, and about 200 meters from the American River in N. California

Notes:

It is one of the species of jumping spiders which are mimics of mutillid wasps in the genus Dasymutilla (commonly known as "velvet ants"); several species of these wasps are similar in size and coloration, and possess a very painful sting.

Reference Links:

Phidippus johnsoni

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)
Jack Settle
No problem! Yeah I tried to look at the ranges to eliminate one of the species, but I couldn't find any good info on that.
NickIrvine1
Thanks Jack! good call. I'm definitely going with the female Phidippus johnsoni as its coloration is a perfect match and the distribution of the western US fits. The other species you mentioned is East Coast and I spotted this in Cali. Thanks again!
Jack Settle
Either a male Phidippus clarus or a female Phidippus johnsoni. Not sure which, as I've only seen one adult Phidippus clarus and never a P. johnsoni.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
International Spider Survey
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project

Tags

Photographed
PublishedJuly 2, 2013

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