Phidippus audax (Hentz, 1845) – Bold Jumping Spider
Richman, Cutler & Hill 2012
The Bold Jumping Spider is abundant and widespread in eastern North America from southern Ontario to the Florida Keys and less common westward to Washington and southwestern California. Phidippus audax large size, extensive range, and occurrence around man-made structures make it one of the more frequently encountered jumping spiders; it is also well known for its geographic variations (see Cadle below). An excellent resource for Phidippus spiders is Edwards’ revision. While written for professional arachnologists the author includes a wealth of material that is extremely helpful to the naturalist. Content of particular interest includes delineation of species’ ranges, lists of specific county records, notes on biology, and descriptions of characteristics useful for field identification. The work also contains color photographs, range and record maps, as well as basic anatomical drawings and multiple sketches of each species. The pages treating Phidippus audax include a synonymy with fifty annotated entries. This speaks to the historical importance of the present species as well as to Edward’s industry.
Don Cadle – The Variable jumper Phidippus audax, 2013
Massachusetts – First State / County Records
- ♦ N. M. Hentz – Attus audax – Massachusetts – Hentz, 1945: 199, pl. 17
- ♦ N. M. Hentz – A. audax – Hampshire (Northampton), May and July – Scudder, 1866: 104
- ♦ Various – Phidippus audax – Barnstable, Berkshire, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester – Edwards, 2004: 72, f. C32-36, 237-243
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♦ Connecticut – P. a. – Kaston, 1948: 483
Extremely common all over the State.
- Edwards, G. B. 2004. Revision of the jumping spiders of the genus Phidippus (Araneae: Salticidae). Occasional Papers of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods 11: i-viii, 1-156, 350 figs.
