Salticidae Cosmophasis

Cosmophasis thalassina (C.L Koch, 1846)

Iridescent Green Garden Jumper

The carapace of the male is decorated with iridescent green scales of different hues, juxtaposed by two transverse bands of black scales. The abdomen is black, with a longitudinal white band along the entire length of the dorsum. The male palps are conspicuously decorated with white hairs. Some of the hairs and scales on the palps, legs and body of the male reflect ultra-violet light and play a role in attracting females during courtship. The size of adult males varies, with smaller males having comparatively shorter chelicerae and palpal tibiae compared to larger males 7 mm).

The female’s carapace is covered almost entirely with iridescent green scales, without any transverse black bands. The colouration of its abdomen may vary but it often has orange transverse bands at the posterior end.

The species appears superficially similar to C. umbratica Simon, 1903, first described from Sumatra, Indonesia. However, the two species show clearly discernible structural differences in their male palps, going beyond the mere variation in the length of palpal tibiae seen among those males positively identified as C. thalassina.