Prostheclina pallida
Pale Eastern Jumping Spider Identification Australia
Small pale or patterned jumping spider from wetter eastern and south-eastern Australia, associated with vegetation and leaf litter rather than a capture web.
Usually low riskProstheclina pallida is the type species of an Australian jumping-spider genus concentrated in wetter eastern habitats. It is a useful cautious comparison for a small pale, brown or patterned jumper photographed on low vegetation or leaf litter from South Australia through the eastern states to Queensland, but close relatives require specialist characters to separate.
Quick identification
- Very small jumping spider with large forward-facing eyes
- Pale, brown or patterned body that can blend into leaf litter and low plants
- Wetter eastern or south-eastern Australian location is an important clue
- Hunts by sight and short jumps rather than sitting in a capture web
What to check next
Use habitat and location only to narrow the possibilities. Prostheclina species can be difficult to separate without close anatomical detail, so compare with garden jumpers, peacock spiders and other tiny eastern jumping spiders and keep the result tentative.
When to seek medical help
This spider is not usually considered dangerous. Avoid handling it and seek medical advice for severe pain, allergic symptoms, infection signs, spreading symptoms or uncertainty after any bite.
Where it is usually seen
Wetter low vegetation, leaf litter, forest and woodland edges, garden plants and sheltered ground-layer habitat from South Australia through south-eastern Australia to northern Queensland.