Simaethula is a genus of small jumping spiders very closely related to Simaetha. They are smaller than Simaetha and do not have the banded rear of the abdomen. Females are generally 2-4mm and males 1-3mm. The upper surfaces of the cephalothorax and abdomen are covered with scales, usually golden, though they can appear differently coloured in differently coloured lights. The posterior lateral eyes are well back on the carapace and the posterior median eyes relatively closer to the face than in Simaetha, though this is subtle when comparing species from the two genera. The pattern made by the pits in the uppers surface of the abdomen may differ in different species.
In Queensland there are a number of described species, although some of the descriptions are incomplete, the author only having either a male, or only a female. The note *mf means the person who described and named it had both male and female specimens. It may be that some of these species are synonyms of one another, and some stray males may be the male of a stray female and vice-versa. The Queensland species in 2010 were: Simaethula aurata (L. Koch, 1879) - gilded, adorned, embroidered with gold *mf. Simaethula auronitens (L. Koch, 1879) - shiny gold *mf. Simaethula janthina Simon, 1902 - violet coloured *f. Simaethula mutica Szombathy, 1915 - probably means "variable" *f. Simaethula opulenta (L. Koch, 1879 - Opulent, wealthy, could also mean silvery, gilded, bejewelled etc *m. Simaethula violacea (L. Koch, 1879) - violet coloured *f.
- Male adult facing
- Male adult, from behind, side view
- Male adult from above, facing
- Male adult facing
- Male adult front (outside) of palp
- Male adult palp side view from top
- Male adult palps underneath (ventral)
- Male adult palp side view (outside)
- Male adult freshly moulted facing
- Male adult freshly moulted from above
- Male adult freshly moulted, fronts of palps
- Male adult freshly moulted, right palp, bulb detached
- Male adult freshly moulted, left palp
- Male subadult body length about 2.3mm from above facing
- Male subadult facing
- Male subadult from side
- Male subadult
- Male subadult from above showing abdominal pits
- Male subadult from side, oblique view
- Male subadult fangs, chelicerae, teeth
- Male subadult fangs, chelicerae, teeth, undeveloped palp
- Male adult Facing
- Male adult From above
- Female adult Silvery specimen, oblique
- Female adult Silvery specimen, oblique
- Female adult Silvery specimen, oblique
- Female adult Silvery specimen, side view, wiping eye
- Adult pinky gold specimen, obvious abdomen pits
- Female adult from above
- Female adult epigynum
Male adult facing
This specimen (next 8 photos) has genitalia that closely resembles that of Simaetha deelemanae Zhang J., Song D., Li D., 2003, a spider from Singapore. (Jerzy Prószyński, personal comm.) The embolus is similarly shaped, but much longer in this spider and its palpal tibia is only half the length of that of Simaetha deelemanae. There are strong similarities to the drawings of Simaethula spp. in Davies and Zabka 1989, the page of drawings being of specimens from Cape Tribulation, and from Brisbane. This suggests that there may be a chain of undescribed species between Simaetha and Simaethula, morphologically intermediate between the most Simaetha-like Simaethula and the Simaethula most unlike Simaetha.
Male adult, from behind, side view
Male adult from above, facing
Male adult facing
Male adult front (outside) of palp
Male adult palp side view from top
Male adult palps underneath (ventral)
Male adult palp side view (outside)
Male adult freshly moulted facing
This male was definitely more silvery, indicating the scales may become more golden coloured as the spider ages. Body length about 2.2mm.
Male adult freshly moulted from above
Male adult freshly moulted, fronts of palps
Male adult freshly moulted, right palp, bulb detached
Male adult freshly moulted, left palp
Male subadult body length about 2.3mm from above facing
Male subadult facing
Male subadult from side
Male subadult
Male subadult from above showing abdominal pits
Male subadult from side, oblique view
Male subadult fangs, chelicerae, teeth
Male subadult fangs, chelicerae, teeth, undeveloped palp
Male adult Facing
Observed on a field trip this small Salticid with exceptionally chubby arms and a rather cheery moustache, body length 2mm, looks like some Simaethula spp. we have seen. Location: Glass House Mountains Visitor Information Centre, Location: -26° 53' 54.38" S +152° 57' 29.50" E.
Male adult From above
Female adult Silvery specimen, oblique
This specimen is affected by the ambient light of the photograph surrounds. The assumption this one is female is due to the relative hairiness of the palps. However it could also be a different species.
Female adult Silvery specimen, oblique
Female adult Silvery specimen, oblique
Female adult Silvery specimen, side view, wiping eye
Adult pinky gold specimen, obvious abdomen pits
Female adult from above
A small adult in alcohol
Female adult epigynum
Epigynum of the female immediately above.
