Subhasis Banerjee

SALTICUS Salticus (from Latin “ saltus ” = jump or leap) is a genus of the family Salticidae, a group of jumping spiders. Coloration of this species is determined by various scales of modified setae covering a brown or black integument. Narrow scales or hairs may be black or red or rust coloured while broad scales are either iridescent (often magenta or green) or opaque granular white or yellow. Several species have a dorsal pattern of black narrow scales and white granular scales arranged in transverse stripes, especially on the abdomen, from which the common name “Zebra Spiders” originated. Most Salticidae prefer open sunny habitats. They are often found on vertical surfaces including man-made structures such as walls and fences or on natural elements, such as tree trunks. They are also found near water where they feast on emergent aquatic gnats and other insects. Salticus species have been observed preying on insects that are several times of their body size. This genus has ...

ARANEUS SPIDER Araneus is a genus of common orb-weaving spiders. It includes about 650 species, among which are the European Garden Spider and the Barn Spider. Their bite is of no medical significance to human beings. Araneus  was originally called  Epeira . The latter name is now considered a junior synonym of  Araneus . It was first coined by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805 for a range of spiders now considered Araneidae  (orb-weavers) .     Over the time, a rather diverse set of spiders was grouped under the genus  Epeira , including species from the modern families Araneidae, Mimetidae,   Tetragnathidae, Theridiidae, Theridiosomatidae , Titanoecidae ( Nurscia albomaculata and Uloboridae. Epeira  was synonymized with the genus  Aranea  by Leach, 1815, and with  Araneus  by Simon, 1904.