How to Identify a Portia Spider

Portia spiders are a genus of jumping spiders that hunt other arachnids. There are about 15 different species, but they all have certain traits in common. You can tell if you're looking at a Portia spider based on its size, shape, and behavior. All Portia spiders are small, brown, and capable of jumping 2–4 feet (61–122 cm) in the air! Keep in mind that Portia spiders are only found in tropical or subtropical climates in Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Looking at Physical Traits

  1. Portia spiders are only found in Australia, Africa, India, southern Asia, and a few Pacific Islands. They favor tropical and subtropical climates and are usually found in wooded areas with plenty of space to hide and hunt. If you're in a temperate area or in the western hemisphere, you definitely aren't looking at a Portia spider. [1]

    Tip: If you think you may have found a Portia spider, there is no need to be alarmed. Their poison isn't very potent to humans and they tend to actively avoid people. If you do get bit, it will look and feel like a mosquito bite. Put some ice and itching cream on it and it should disappear in a day or two.

  2. Portia spiders tend to be on the smaller side, and most species are smaller than a human thumb. All species fall in the range of 4.5–11 millimetres (0.18–0.43 in), and the females tend to be bigger than the males. [2]
    • While Portia spiders are small, they are vicious hunters and can jump quite high. If you catch it jumping around a dark room, you could easily mistake it for a flea or small grasshopper.
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  3. While there are several different species of Portia spiders, all of them are shades of brown. They range from a deep, dark brown to a lighter tan color. [3]
    • Some Portia spiders are solid colors, while others have patterns running all over their body. If the Portia spider has markings, it almost always has fur.
    • If it is a species of Portia that has a pattern, it will look like a stippled sequence of dots or light tan lines.
  4. While some of the furrier Portia spiders may have a smoother appearance, most species of Portia have evolved to blend in with dead or dying leaves. As a result, many of them have a sharper appearance and resemble small, scrunched up leaves. [4]
    • The body of a Portia spider will have lots of jagged points and sharp angles. Their exoskeleton will a little smoother in appearance if the spider is covered in fur.
    • When combined with their odd movement, a Portia spider can easily resemble a dried up leaf blowing across the ground.
  5. Portia spiders look rather odd when they're moving around, and usually stick their front legs out in front of them. The front legs are always skinny and spindly, and will be adorned with tufts of hair if it's a species with distinct markings. Look at the spider's front legs to see if they're skinny, extended, or tufted. [5]
    • The front legs are usually so thin that they resemble miniature sticks.
  6. The Portia spider has excellent vision, and its eyes protrude from the top of their head. If you get close enough, you should be able to see 2 massive eyes resting atop the spider's head, with 2 smaller eyes on either side. [6]
    • Portia spiders don't have good peripheral vision when compared to other spiders. If it seems surprised when you move in front of it, this may be an indication that you just came into its field of vision. This is a good hint that you have stumbled upon a Portia spider.

    Tip: Portia spiders hunt using their vision, unlike a lot of other spiders that use movement or scent. If you're close enough to study the spider's eyes in detail, it definitely sees you and may run away or jump on you.

  7. The jaws on most species of Portia spiders are a different color from the rest of their body. They also tend to move their jaws a lot when they're stationary. If the spider isn't actively moving but its jaws are moving up and down, you may be looking at a Portia spider. [7]
    • If the Portia's jaws are a different color, they will be a lighter shade than the rest of the body—usually a lighter tan. There is one species that has dark blue jaws.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Studying the Spider's Behavior

  1. Portia spiders are most widely known for their ability to leap in the air. Portia spiders can jump 2–4 feet (61–122 cm) in the air depending on their body size, and tend to leap around if they're hunting or evading predators. If you see a spider jumping around repeatedly, there's a very good chance that you're looking at a Portia. [8]
    • Portia spiders hunt and eat web-building spiders. They jump around to avoid detection and pretend to be other bugs.
  2. Most species of Portia spiders are nest builders, not web spinners. While you may see a Portia spider resting in a victim's web or using a web to lure other spiders into a trap, you won't usually see the Portia spider spinning a web. If you find a potential Portia spider creating a large, intricate web, you're probably dealing with a different genus of arachnid. [9]
    • If a species of Portia is a web-builder, it's in the business of building simple webs. It may resemble a small platform more than a large and intricate web.

    Tip: There are a few species of Portia that mate in webs. You may occasionally find 2 Portia spiders in a web together.

  3. Portia spiders hunt and eat web-building spiders. They get close to spiders that are often bigger or more dangerous than they are by mimicking other species. If you come across the spider attacking or mimicking other spiders, you can safely identify it as a Portia. [10]
    • Portia spiders are among the smartest breeds of spider in the world. They can manipulate their behavior to trick prey into thinking that they're other insects.
    • A Portia spider will actively avoid you. Don't get too close when it's in the process of hunting or you may not be able to identify it.
  4. If the spider hasn't noticed you yet, watch to see how it moves. Portia spiders have a very unique way of walking. They tend to jerk their body back and forth as they place limbs in front of it, and they can look kind of wobbly and unstable as they move. Look closely to see if the spider moves in awkward, jagged motions. [11]
    • Portia spiders are specialized jumpers, so they never evolved to have a very smooth gait.
  5. Wolf spiders look similar to Portia spiders, except they're a little bigger and their legs aren't as thin. Wolf spiders tend to creep smoothly, while Portia spiders tend to wobble. Other jumping spiders have brighter markings and patterns. You can differentiate a Portia by checking your geographic location and observing whether the spider is entirely brown in color or not. [12]
    • Other species of jumping spiders have more variation in color, like the two-striped jumper which is orange. Some of them have bright markings with intricate patterns like bold jumpers or zebra spiders. Portia spiders are always light or dark brown.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/spiders/fringed-jumping-spider/
      2. ↑ http://peckhamia.com/library/Wanless%201978%20A%20revision%20of%20the%20spider%20genus%20Portia.pdf
      3. ↑ http://peckhamia.com/library/Wanless%201978%20A%20revision%20of%20the%20spider%20genus%20Portia.pdf
      4. ↑ https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/spiders/fringed-jumping-spider/
      5. ↑ https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Portia_fimbriata/#geographic_range
      6. ↑ https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Portia_fimbriata/#geographic_range
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/UDtlvZGmHYk?t=55
      8. ↑ https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/spiders/fringed-jumping-spider/
      9. ↑ http://peckhamia.com/library/Wanless%201978%20A%20revision%20of%20the%20spider%20genus%20Portia.pdf
      1. ↑ https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/spiders/fringed-jumping-spider/
      2. ↑ https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/spiders/fringed-jumping-spider/
      3. ↑ https://bugguide.net/node/view/624232

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