Top 10 Coolest Spiders
Portia
- Size: 0.1-0.3 inches (4.5-9.5 mm) (body length)
- Distribution: Africa, Australia, Asia
- Order: Araneae
- Family: Salticidae
- Scientific name: Portia
- Dangerous for humans: No
Hunting Strategy
"A master hunter"
If you’re scared of spiders, the portia has to be your favorite. Never mind that: well done for reading this far! The portia jumping spider doesn’t attack humans or even other animals. Its menu revolves around its fellow spiders.. They’re not even scared of taking on spiders much bigger than themselves. They don’t need to be, as they’re true masters when it comes to thinking up new strategies.
They change their attack each time depending on their prey and the situation. Sometimes they might mimic the movements of an insect caught in a web. Sometimes they might dance the mating dance of another species to lure prey in. And if it meets something it hasn’t met before, it will test different attacks, watch the reactions and then decide on the best strategy. Unsurprisingly, the portia is known as an intelligent spider.
These were just 10 of over 40,000 spiders - and the more we find out about them, the more fascinated we are.
- Table of Contents:
- 0. Introduction
- 1. Trapdoor Spider
- 2. Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider
- 3. Net-Casting Spider
- 4. Spitting Spider
- 5. Theridion nigroannulatumi
- 6. Bagheera Kiplingi
- 7. Bolas Spider
- 8. Diving Bell Spider
- 9. Evarcha culicivora
- 10. Portia
