About Maratus pavonis (Dunn, 1947)
Maratus pavonis (Dunn, 1947) is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae that is endemic to Australia. Within Australia, it occurs in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. The species epithet "pavonis" comes from the Latin words pavo and pavonis, which mean "peacock". The male holotype of this species is very small, with a total length of only 4.34 millimetres (0.171 inches). Like other members of the Maratus genus, males use their elongated third legs during courtship displays. Only male individuals of this species have bright, striking coloration. For a discussion of similarities and differences between this species and Maratus splendens, refer to the work of Otto & Hill published in 2011.
