Maratus linnaei Waldock 2008

Otto, Jürgen C. & Hill, David E., 2017, Five new peacock spiders from Western Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini: Maratus Karsch 1878), Peckhamia 152 (1), pp. 1-97 : 61

Maratus linnaei Waldock 2008

Maratus linnaei was first found at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in Western Australia ( Waldock 2008). We have also seen it at two other locations near Denmark in Western Australia: Rudyard Beach Nature Reserve (34.9797°S, 117.4217°E) and Mt . Lindesay National Park (34.8454°S, 117.3986°E). We include this account of the courtship display of M . linnaei ( Figures 67-70) for purposes of comparison with the closely related M. electricus . As in that species, the female M . linnaei closely follows the male display from a distance of ~ 4-5 mm ( Figures 67, 69). Males may advertise their presence by waving their extended legs III with or without elevation of the fan ( Figure 68). As in M . electricus, the opisthosoma is turned in the direction of movement and bobbed continuously as a male side-steps in front of a female ( Figure 69). Continuous bobbing of the opisthosoma in place was recorded at ~7.3 cycles/s ( Figure 70). Legs III are held in a caliper-like position as the fan is waved and bobbed behind it during a close approach .