Daiqin Li, Tian Qi Hou, Long Yu, Y. Norma-Rashid & Xin Xu

Abstract. Predatory and silk-associated behaviours are documented for two poorly known spartaeine jumping spiders, Neobrettus tibialis and Taraxella sp. indet. (Araneae: Salticidae), from Peninsular Malaysia, providing a comparative perspective on behavioural diversity within the subfamily Spartaeinae. Both species incorporated silk into their behavioural repertoires but differed markedly in silk architecture and prey-capture tactics. Neobrettus tibialis constructed layered, non-sticky silk platforms and tubular retreats, and captured prey primarily through slow stalking followed by close-range lunging. In a small number of cases, it entered occupied webs and produced vibratory interactions that were followed by successful capture of resident spiders, suggesting occasional use of web-mediated predatory tactics. Taraxella sp. indet. built a loose silk network connected to a distinct retreat, but captured prey predominantly through visually guided attacks involving long-distance leaps and showed no evidence of web invasion or interactions with resident spiders. Neither species fits neatly into a simple distinction between web-associated and cursorial predation. Instead, their contrasting behavioural repertoires illustrate the diversity of ways in which silk use, locomotion, and prey-capture behaviour can be combined within Spartaeinae. These findings expand behavioural knowledge of poorly studied spartaeine taxa and highlight the remarkable heterogeneity of silk-associated and predatory strategies in this subfamily.

Key words. behavioural diversity, jumping spiders, prey-capture behaviour, silk-associated behaviour, Spartaeinae

Read article here: RBZ-2026-0044