Nyssus coloripes, known commonly in Australia as the orange-legged swift spider, but also as the spotted ground swift spider, the fleet footed spider and the painted swift spider, is a spider belonging to the family Corinnidae. It is found commonly in Australia and New Zealand.
Taxonomy This species was described in 1805 by Charles Walckenaer.Walckenaer, C. A. (1805). Tableau des aranéides ou caractères essentiels des tribus, genres, familles et races que renferme le genre Aranea de Linné, avec la désignation des espèces comprises dans chacune de ces divisions. Dentu, Paris, 88 pp. It was most recently revised in 2015.
Description Orange-legged swift spiders are mostly black in appearance, with white spots along most of the body and orange front legs. They are typically 6–7 mm in length.
Distribution and habitat The orange-legged swift spider is native to Australia. It was introduced to New Zealand around 1943 and is fully naturalised.
In New Zealand, it is commonly found inside homes and in short grassland.
Behaviour Orange-legged swift spiders are diurnal. They often hunt prey without the use of webs, though they may use their webs to detect prey.
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References
External links http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biosystematics/invertebrates/invertid/bug_details.asp?Bu_Id=224 Supunna picta (L. Koch, 1873) Painted Swift Spider