Maratus pavonis is a species of jumping spider (Salticidae), endemic to Australia, where it is found in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.WSC Salticidae:Maratus pavonis(Dunn, 1947), World Spider Catalog (WSC) Retrieved 5 August 2019. The species epithet, pavonis, derives from the Latin, pavo, pavonis, meaning "peacock".
The male holotype is tiny, measuring just .Dunn, R.A. (1947) A new salticid spider from Victoria. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, 15:82-85. In courtship, males in the Maratus genus extend their elongated third legs,Hill, D.E. (2009) Euophryine jumping spiders that extend their third legs during courtship (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae: Maratus, Saitis). Peckhamia 74.1:1-27. Retrieved 6 August 2019. and only the male is so brightly and beautifully coloured.Dunn, R.A. (1957)
For its likeness and differences from Maratus splendens, see Otto & Hill (2011).Otto, J.C. & Hill, D.E. (2011) An illustrated review of the known peacock spiders of the genus Maratus from Australia, with description of a new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae), Peckhamia 96.1:1-27. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
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