26 December 2023

The jumping spider genus Attulus is represented by four species in Minnesota. Their beauty lies in earth tones and subtle patterns and they can blend in with brickwork, the ground or rocks which often serve as their preferred habitat. They mature in spring and overwinter as juveniles. Like many jumping spiders, they are active hunters during daylight hours.

Attulus ammophilus is a non-native species that was only recently added to Minnesota's spider fauna (Hennepin County). It is native to Central Europe and Iran east into Russia but has been introduced into various parts of the U.S. and Canada; this species is slowly spreading wherever people are prevalent. This species prefers habitats with sandy soils and rocks as well as the urban environment. Males are more boldly marked than females. Example of a male: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141802397. Example of the very plainly marked female: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141802400.

Attulus fasciger or Asian Wall Jumper arrived in New York from Eastern Russia and the Orient around 1959 and spread westward, reaching St. Paul a mere 10 years later (Proszynski, 2017). It is one of the most commonly encountered jumping spiders in Minnesota due to its preferred habitat of walls of buildings both inside and outside where it is often found with another non-native jumper: Zebra Jumper (Salticus scenicus). Examination of any building during the summer months will likely yield one or two of these spiders. A typical example of one of these spiders can be found here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/170187126.

Attulus finschi is found from Russia into Canada and south into the mountainous western U.S. In Minnesota, it is likely to be found only in the boreal forests typical of the northern parts of the state. It is unlike many of the species in Minnesota in that it has a pale median area on both the carapace and abdomen that strongly contrasts with the darker lateral portions. It is more likely to be confused with Naphrys pulex than the other members of this genus. An example of this species can be found here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55325256.

Attulus floricola is called the Flower Jumping Spider on iNaturalist. This species has a holarctic distribution. I consider this species an indicator of intact, native vegetation and it is most often collected using sweep nets in native prairie and sedge meadows. While similar to A. fasciger in its pattern and coloration, this species typically is darker and more boldly marked and it is relatively easy to distinguish between them (especially if you pay attention to habitat). Examples of this species can be found here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26357449 and here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130140570

Sources
Proszynski, J. 2017. Revision of the genus Sitticus Simon, 1901 s. l. (Araneae: Salticidae). Ecologica Montenegrina 10:35-50.