Greater Housefly Catcher
The male is conspicuous with its contrasting black-and-white linear pattern. The female is superficially similar to that of P. petersi. also common in Southeast Asian houses, but it is much larger and heavier.
Length | ♀ 7–10 mm; ♂ 7–9 mm |
Type Locality | Either Egypt or Syria |
Distribution | Widespread, including Pakistan, Seychelles, Madagascar, United States, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Australia, Russia, United Kingdom, Algeria, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, South Korea, Japan, China, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore. |
Habitat | Walls of buildings, tree trunks. |
Biology | The egg sac is guarded by the mother in a silken chamber built in a sheltered corner or a suitably-sized crevice. The male also constructs its own densely woven silk shelter, as shown in the picture below. |
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Holotype
Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt am Main (SMF), Germany (data base search of type material, 11.01.2019); Apamamia bocki Roewer, 1944, (13307-141); 1 ♀ (9909591-141)
Holotype
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (ZMB), Germany (database export of type material, March 2019); Plexippus planipudens Karsch, 1881, (3695)
Holotype
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (ZMB), Germany (database export of type material, March 2019); Plexippus punctatus Karsch, 1878, (1734)
Holotype
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (ZMB), Germany (database export of type material, March 2019); Euophrys vetusta C. L. Koch, 1846, (1802)
Holotype
Museo de La Plata (MLP), La Plata, Argentina; ♀ (17045) of Plexippus quadriguttatus (Galiano, 1981a)
Holotype
National Zoological Collections, Zoological Survey of India (NZC-ZSI), Kolkata, India; ♀ (5387/18) of Plexippus andamanensis (Caleb et al., 2022b)
Syntype
Zoologisches Museum Hamburg (ZMH), Hamburg, Germany (data base search of type material, 11.02.2019); ♀ (A0002261) of Euophrys delibuta L. Koch, 1865
Allotype
National Zoological Collections, Zoological Survey of India (NZC-ZSI), Kolkata, India; ♂ (5388/18) of Plexippus andamanensis (Caleb et al., 2022b)
Attus paykullii (Original description ♂)
Audouin, 1826 Explication sommaire des planches d'arachnides de l'Égypte et de la Syrie. In: Savigny, M. J. C. L. de: "Description de l'Égypte, ou recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée franҫ: 409, pl. 7, f. 22
Attus paykullii (♂)
Walckenaer, 1837 Histoire naturelle des insectes. Aptères. Tome premier: 426 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.61095
Plexippus ligo (Original description ♂)
C. L. Koch, 1846 Die Arachniden: 107, f. 1168-1169 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.43744
Salticus vaillanttii (Original description ♂)
Lucas, 1846 Histoire naturelle des animaux articulés: 136, pl. 5, f. 2 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.112444
Trivia vetusta
C. L. Koch, 1850 Übersicht des Arachnidensystems. Heft 5: 67 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.39561
Salticus culicivorus (Original description ♀)
Doleschall, 1859 Tweede Bijdrage tot de kennis der Arachniden van den Indischen Archipel: 14, pl. 9, f. 5
Attus africanus (Original description ♀)
Vinson, 1863 Aranéides des îles de La Réunion, Maurice et Madagascar: 52, 301, pl. 10, f. 3 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.125517
Parthenia africana
Simon, 1864 Histoire naturelle des araignées (aranéides): 313 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.47654
Euophrys delibuta (Original description ♂♀)
L. Koch, 1865 Beschreibungen neuer Arachniden und Myriopoden: 874
Salticus diversus (Original description ♂)
Blackwall, 1868 Notice of several species of spiders supposed to be new or little known to arachnologists: 403 doi:10.1080/00222936808695842
Attus paykulli (♀)
Simon, 1868b Monographie des espèces européennes de la famille des Attides (Attidae Sundewall: 601
Hasarius paykulli
Salticus rodericensis (Original description ♀)
Butler, 1876b Preliminary notice of new species of Arachnida and Myriopoda from Rodriguez, collected by Messrs: 440 doi:10.1080/00222937608681989
Menemerus culicivorus
Salticus rodericensis (♀)
Butler, 1878a Myriopoda and Arachnida: 507, pl. 52, f. 8
Menemerus culicivorus (♂)
Plexippus punctatus (Original description ♀)
Karsch, 1878d Diagnoses Attoidarum aliquot novarum Novae Hollandiae collectionis Musei Zoologici Berolinensis: 25
Menemerus paykulli
Plexippus (Hasarius) planipudens (Original description ♀)
Menemerus culicivorus (♂)
Keyserling, 1883b Die Arachniden Australiens, nach der Natur beschrieben und abgebildet [Erster Theil, Lieferung 31]: 1461, pl. 123, f. 4 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.121660
Plexippus paykulli
Peckham & Peckham, 1886 Genera of the family Attidae: with a partial synonymy: 296
Plexippus culicivorus
Menemerus paykulli (♂♀)
Peckham & Peckham, 1888 Attidae of North America: 84, pl. 1, f. 63, pl. 6, f. 63
Menemerus paykulli (♂♀)
Marx, 1889a A contribution to the knowledge of the spider fauna of the Bermuda Islands: 99, pl. 2, f. 2
Thotmes paykulli (♂♀)
F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901a Arachnida - Araneida and Opiliones: 240, pl. 20, f. 21
Artabrus planipudens
Simon, 1903a Histoire naturelle des araignées. Deuxième édition, tome second: 728 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.51973
Thotmes paykulli
Pocock, 1904 Arachnida: 804, pl
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Dönitz & Strand, in Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 Japanische Spinnen: 362, pl. 9, f. 142, 144, pl. 13, f. 347, 354
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Hogg, 1915b On spiders of the family Salticidae collected by the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition and the Wollaston Expedition in Dutch New Guinea: 512, f. 5f doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1915.tb07609.x
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Gravely, 1922 Common Indian spiders: 1049, pl. 4, f. 10-11
Menemerus crassus (Original description ♀)
Hogg, 1922 Some spiders from south Annam: 307, f. 9a, e doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1922.tb02142.x
Hyllus mimus (Original description ♂♀)
Chamberlin, 1924a Descriptions of new American and Chinese spiders, with notes on other Chinese species: 33, pl. 7, f. 50
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Petrunkevitch, 1930b The spiders of Porto Rico: 156, f. 140-143
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Berland, 1932b Les Arachnides (Scorpions, Araignées, etc: 397, f. 570-573
Sandalodes magnus (Original description ♀)
Berland, 1933b Araignées des Iles Marquises: 60, f. 39
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Dyal, 1935 Fauna of Lahore: 225, pl. 17, f. 165-170
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Simon, 1937 Les arachnides de France. Synopsis générale et catalogue des espèces françaises de l'ordre des Araneae. Tome VI. 5e et derniére partie: 1242, 1271, f. 2023-2024
Plexippus paykulli (Synonym of Hyllus mimus)
Fox, 1937d Notes on Chinese spiders of the families Salticidae and Thomisidae: 17
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Sherriffs, 1939b Hong-Kong spiders: 197, f. 4, pl. 24, f. 3
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Nakatsudi, 1943a Some Arachnida from Micronesia: 169, f. 17a-b
Apamamia bocki (Original description ♀)
Roewer, 1944 Einige Araneen von Prof: 7, f. 3
Plexippus paykulli (Synonym of Sandalodes magnus)
Berland, 1945 Remarques sur des araignées capturées par des hyménoptères prédateurs aux îles Marquises: 24 doi:10.3406/bsef.1945.15801
Plexippus quadriguttatus (Original description ♀)
Mello-Leitão, 1946b Arañas del Paraguay: 29, f. 10
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Saito, 1959 The Spider Book Illustrated in Colours: 159, f. 224a-c
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Lee, 1966 [Spiders of Formosa (Taiwan)]: 74, f 27i-k
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Yaginuma, 1966c [How to distinguish allied species of spiders]: 33, f. 6
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Tikader, 1967 Studies on some Salticidae spider from Sikkim, Himalaya, India: 120, f. 4a-c
Marpissa mandali (Original description ♂♀)
Tikader, 1974b Studies on some jumping spiders of the genus Marpissa from India (family-Salticidae): 213, f. 13-16
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Prószyński, 1976 Studium systematyczno-zoogeograflczne nad rodziną Salticidae (Aranei) Regionów Palearktycznego i Nearktycznego: 156, f. 282
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Zhu, 1976 [Spiders of Rice Fields in China]: 31, f. 24, 36 doi:10.13481/j.1671-587x.1976.01.007
Marpissa andamanensis (Original description ♂♀)
Tikader, 1977a Studies on spider fauna of Andaman and Nicobar islands, Indian Ocean: 199, f. 22A-C
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Yin & Wang, 1979 [A classification of the jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae) collected from the agricultural fields and other habitats: 37, f. 21A-E
Plexippus paykulli (Synonym of Artabrus planipudens and Plexippus quadriguttatus)
Galiano, 1979c Nuevos sinonimos en la familia Salticidae (Araneae): 34
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Song, 1980 [Farm Spiders]: 201, f. 111a-f
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀, Synonym of Marpissa mandali)
Tikader & Biswas, 1981 Spider fauna of Calcutta and vicinity: Part-I: 100, f. 179-182
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Wang, 1981 [Protection and utilization of spiders in paddy fields]: 135, f. 75A-D
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Yin, Wang & Hu, 1983 Essential types and the evolution of palpal organ of spiders: 34, f. 4C
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Hu, 1984 The Chinese spiders collected from the fields and the forests: 386, f. 402.1-6
Plexippus bengalensis (Transferred from Marpissa)
Nenilin, 1984a [Materials on the fauna of the spider family Salticidae of the USSR: 6
Plexippus andamanensis (Transferred from Marpissa)
Nenilin, 1984b On the taxonomy of spiders of the family Salticidae of the fauna of the USSR and adjacent countries: 1177
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀; not f. 21, legends reversed)
Wanless, 1984c Araneae-Salticidae: 64, f. 20a-e
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀, Synonym of Menemerus crassus and Plexippus punctatus)
Żabka, 1985 Systematic and zoogeographic study on the family Salticidae (Araneae) from Viet-Nam: 432, f. 458-463
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Guo, 1985 [Farm spiders from Shaanxi Province]: 182, f. 2-105.1-3
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Zhu & Shi, 1985 [Crop field spiders of Shanxi Province]: 212, f. 194a-c
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Yaginuma, 1986a Spiders of Japan in color (new ed: 235, f. 131.1
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Prószyński, 1987 Atlas rysunków diagnostycznych mniej znanych Salticidae 2: 80
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Song, 1987 Spiders from agricultural regions of China (Arachnida: Araneae): 300, f. 256
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Bohdanowicz & Prószyński, 1987 Systematic studies on East Palaearctic Salticidae (Araneae), IV: 116, f. 222-227
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Zhang, 1987 [Farm spiders from Hebei Province]: 250, f. 222.1-3
Marpissa bengalensis (♀)
Hu & Li, 1987b The spiders collected from the fields and the forests of Xizang Autonomous Region, China: 331, f. 49.1-2
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Davies & Żabka, 1989 Illustrated keys to the genera of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) in Australia: 246, pl. 49
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Chikuni, 1989b Pictorial encyclopedia of spiders in Japan: 152, f. 26
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Feng, 1990 Spiders of China in colour: 213, f. 188.1-6
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Chen & Gao, 1990 The Sichuan farmland spiders in China: 194, f. 247a-c
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀, Synonym of Menemerus crassus, Plexippus bengalensis and P. punctatus)
Żabka, 1990b Salticidae from the Nepal and Bhutan Himalayas: 170, f. 22-25
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Chen & Zhang, 1991 Fauna of Zhejiang: Araneida: 296, f. 312.1-5
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Song, Zhu & Li, 1993 Arachnida: Araneae: 886, f. 62A-D
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Peng et al., 1993 Salticids in China (Arachnida: Araneae): 181, f. 632-638
Plexippus payhulli (♂♀, lapsus)
Zhao, 1993 Spiders in the cotton fields in China: 417, f. 217a-c
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Wesołowska & van Harten, 1994 The jumping spiders (Salticidae, Araneae) of Yemen: 70, f. 144-146
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Barrion & Litsinger, 1994 Taxonomy of rice insect pests and their arthropod parasites and predators: 288, f. 1442-1444
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 Riceland spiders of South and Southeast Asia: 83, f. 42a-f
Plexippus paykulli (Synonym of Apamamia bocki)
Ledoux & Hallé, 1995 Araignées de l'île Rapa (îles Australes, Polynésie): 12
Plexippus payhulli (♂♀, lapsus)
Zhao, 1995 Araneida: 1135, f. 558a-c
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Metzner, 1999 Die Springspinnen (Araneae, Salticidae) Griechenlands: 136, f. 101a-h
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999 The spiders of China: 540, f. 14K, 310P, 311B, 328L
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Seo, 2000b Two species of genus Plexippus (Araneae, Saliticidae [sic]) from Korea: 33, f. 1
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Hu, 2001 Spiders in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China: 406, f. 258.1-2
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Song, Zhu & Chen, 2001 The Fauna of Hebei, China: Araneae: 451, f. 301A-D
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Namkung, 2002 The spiders of Korea: 568, f. 43.12a-b
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Cho & Kim, 2002 A revisional study of family Salticidae Blackwall, 1841 (Arachnida, Araneae) from Korea: 124, f. 65-66, 172-173, 280-281
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Yoo & Kim, 2002a Studies on basic pattern and evolution of male palpal organ (Arachnida: Araneae): 26, f. 17
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Prószyński, 2003 Salticidae (Araneae) of the Levant: 144, f. 577-578, 583, 587-588
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Namkung, 2003 The Spiders of Korea, 2nd: 572, f. 43.12a-b
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Peng & Li, 2003b Spiders of the genus Plexippus from China (Araneae: Salticidae): 752, f. 2A-F
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Trotta, 2005 Introduzione al ragni italiani (Arachnida Araneae): 173, f. 411-413 doi:10.4081/memorieSEI.2004.3
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Makhan, 2006a Rishaschia gen: 12, f. 19
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Ledoux, 2007 Araignées de l'île de La Réunion: II: 31, f. 3H, 32, 33A-B
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Wunderlich, 2008f Identification key to the European genera of the jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae): 717, f. 45-46
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Ono, Ikeda & Kono, 2009 Salticidae: 576, f. 169-171
Plexippus paykulli (♀, S)
Prószyński, 2009b Redescriptions of 16 species of Oriental Salticidae (Araneae) described by F: 162, f. 6
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Wesołowska & van Harten, 2010 Order Araneae, family Salticidae: 49, f. 59-60
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Saaristo, 2010 Araneae: 197, f. 27.105-106
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Zhu & Zhang, 2011 Spider Fauna of Henan: Arachnida: Araneae: 502, f. 366A-E
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Lecigne, 2011 Inventaire aranéologique dans la Province d'Izmir (Turquie) (Arachnida, Araneae): 42, f. P61-63
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Yin et al., 2012 Fauna Hunan: Araneae in Hunan, China: 1442, f. 786a-f, 3-14c
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Samir & Sherwan, 2013 First record of three jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) in Mergasor (Erbil-Iraq): 42, f. 3A-F
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Ramírez, 2014 The morphology and phylogeny of dionychan spiders (Araneae: Araneomorphae): 259, f. 174F-G doi:10.1206/821.1
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Tabrizi, Rad & Hedayati, 2014 A faunistic study on the spiders of several metropolis parks in Tehran, Iran: 36, f. 2H-J, 4H-I
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Kim & Lee, 2014 Arthropoda: Arachnida: Araneae: Clubionidae, Corinnidae, Salticidae, Segestriidae: 120, f. 86A-D
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Siyam, Dunlop & El-Hennawy, 2015 New spider records from the Republic of the Sudan: 270, f. 28-30 doi:10.13156/arac.2015.16.7.264
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
El-Hennawy, Mohafez & El-Gendy, 2015 The first record of Plexippus clemens (O: 132, f. 8-11
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Sen et al., 2015 Spiders (Araneae: Arachnida) of reserve forests of Dooars: Gorumara National Park, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary and Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary: 31, f. 72-76, pl. 13
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Roy, Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2016 A treatise on the jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of tea ecosystem of Dooars, West Bengal, India: 16, f. 13A-E, 25B, 27I
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Dhali, Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2017 Litter and ground dwelling spiders (Araneae: Arachnida) of reserve forests of Dooars, West Bengal: 27, f. 20-27, pl. 18
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Żabka & Gardzińska, 2017 Salticidae of Thailand: 232, f. 1A-F, 2A-F doi:10.3161/00034541ANZ2017.67.2.004
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Prószyński, 2017b Pragmatic classification of the world's Salticidae (Araneae): 15, f. 4H, 5H doi:10.37828/em.2017.12.1
Plexippus paykulli (mf, Synonym of Euophrys vetusta)
Prószyński, 2017c Remarks on the genus Plexippus C: 61, f. 2A-F,U, 4A, 5L-L1, 6I, 7M doi:10.37828/em.2017.13.5
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Prószyński, 2018a Review of the genus Hasarius (Araneae: Salticidae) - a taxonomic fiasco: 26, f. 5K doi:10.37828/em.2018.16.2
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Tyagi et al., 2019 Identification of Indian spiders through DNA barcoding: cryptic species and species complex: Supplement, f. S2.57, S3.33-36 doi:10.1038/s41598-019-50510-8
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Peng, 2020 Fauna Sinica, Invertebrata 53, Arachnida: Araneae: Salticidae: 336, f. 242a-f
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Taucare-Ríos & Rubio, 2021 Familia Salticidae: 234, f. 6-7
Marpissa bengalensis (♀)
Biswas & Raychaudhuri, 2022 Taxonomic account of jumping spiders – genus Marpissa C: 5, f. 2a-e, 5b doi:10.3329/jbcbm.v7i1.57118
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀, Synonym of Plexippus andamanensis)
Caleb et al., 2022b A new species and two new synonyms in the genus Plexippus C: 315, f. 13-18 doi:10.15298/arthsel.31.3.07
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Pupin & Brescovit, 2023 The alien synanthropic Salticidae in Brazil (Araneae): 2, f. 1-6 doi:10.1590/1678-4766e2023002
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Zehbi & Yousuf, 2023 Household spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of Kashmir Himalayas with three new records from India: 415, f. 4A-C doi:10.1016/j.japb.2023.06.004
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Sajid et al., 2023 Faunistic and DNA barcoding of the recorded spiders (Araneae: Gnaphosidae, Hersiliidae and Salticidae) from Lower Dir (Pakistan): 27, f. 31-32, 37-40 doi:10.17957/IJAB/15.1999
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Baert et al., 2023 Updated checklist, origin, distribution, literature and genital drawings of the spiders of the Galápagos Islands: 25, f. 87A-C
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Mousaid & Bouihouline, 2023b Plexippus C: 15, f. 8-15
Plexippus paykulli (♂♀)
Alcántar-Valenzuela et al., 2024 Current knowledge of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Sinaloa, Mexico: species checklist and new records, including the first record of Plexippus petersi Karsch, 1878 for America: 17, f. 35-40 doi:10.21829/azm.2024.4012671
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Benhacene et al., 2024 Spider (Araneae: Araneomorphae) diversity in Annaba Province, northeastern Algeria: 495, f. 6C doi:10.30550/j.azl/1986
Plexippus paykulli (♀)
Logunov, 2024c Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Bidoup–Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam: 1091, f. 113-119 doi:10.13156/arac.2024.19.8.1074
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Lecigne, Moutaouakil & Lips, 2025 Contribution to the knowledge of the spider fauna of Morocco (Arachnida: Araneae) – second note: 144, f. 88L-M
Plexippus paykulli (♂)
Sherwood, 2025b Annotated checklist of imported non-native spider (Araneae) taxa recorded in the United Kingdom 1800–2024: 139, f. 13G-H doi:10.15298/arthsel.34.1.10
* Retrieved from the World Spider Catalog.
Widespread, including Pakistan, Seychelles, Madagascar, United States, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Australia, Russia, United Kingdom, Algeria, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, South Korea, Japan, China, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore.