An Australian portrait
The World Spider Catalog lists Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria for this species. Maratus volans is one of several peacock spiders, not a name for the whole group. Other Maratus species can have different ranges and markings. On our world map it represents an Australian example, not occurrence everywhere in the region.
The fan belongs to the abdomen
During courtship the male can extend lateral abdominal flaps and raise the coloured abdomen, creating the impression of a small fan. This surface is not a pair of wings, and the female is not simply a pale copy of the displaying male. Differences between the sexes are part of the portrait.
More than a silent dance
A study by Girard, Kasumovic and Elias describes visual courtship components and vibrations transmitted through the substrate in Maratus volans. What a video shows is therefore only part of the exchange. Colours, body movements and mechanical signals cannot be reduced to one decorative effect.
The substrate matters during observation
This portrait invites a different kind of attention: the colourful animal, its position and the other spider’s response all belong to the scene. Artificially displaying or disturbing an animal does not necessarily reveal undisturbed courtship. Observation from a distance preserves more of that context.
Sources & image credits
- World Spider Catalog · Maratus volans ↗
- Australian Museum · Jumping spiders ↗
- Girard, Kasumovic & Elias (2011) · Multi-modal courtship in the peacock spider, Maratus volans ↗
Sources checked: 2 November 2026. Comparisons carry the qualifications stated in each article.