Simaetha thoracica
Simaetha thoracica Jumping Spider Identification Australia
Small blocky Australian jumping spider with golden scales, a compact abdomen and dark rear abdominal circles that can fade with wear.
Usually low riskSimaetha thoracica is the type species of Simaetha, a small Australian jumping-spider genus. It is a compact, blocky jumper usually around 5–6 mm in body length, with a high carapace, golden scales and variable dark circles or pale bands near the rear of the abdomen. Those clues can support a field candidate on bark, leaves or garden plants, but they do not replace an adult salticid key: Simaetha tenuidens and other small brown jumpers overlap in shape and colour.
Quick identification
- Small 4–7 mm salticid with a broad, blocky or squat outline
- High carapace with a steep thoracic slope and large forward-facing principal eyes
- Brown to metallic-gold scales, often worn away on older individuals
- Dark circles or pale bands toward the rear of the abdomen, variable between individuals
- Active hunter on bark, leaves, shrubs or garden plants without a capture web
What to check next
Use the compact outline and rear abdominal pattern only as supporting clues. Photograph the whole spider, eye region and substrate, then compare Simaetha thoracica with S. tenuidens, Simaethula and other tiny brown jumpers; adult palps or epigyne may be needed for certainty.
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
Leaves, stems, shrubs, eucalypt woodland, gardens and park vegetation in the accepted Australian range of Western Australia and Queensland. It may cross bark or other surfaces while hunting, but “bark jumper” is a field label rather than proof of a trunk specialist.