Figure 4 in Learned avoidance of the Large Milkweed Bug (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae: Oncopeltus fasciatus) by jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae: Dendryphantina: Phidippus)

Figure 4. Two female Phidippus texanus (sisters) reared from the same brood sac found in Lea County, New Mexico, in August of 1978 (on mesquite 21 miles W of Jal on SR 128). Half of the females in this brood had the typical texanus form with cream to white scales on a black background (1), and the other half had a similar dorsal pattern with the coloration of the related P. ardens, with rust-red scales covering much of the dorsal opisthosoma. Edwards (2004) placed P. ardens and P. texanus in the borealis clade of the purpuratus group within Phidippus, but kept the species separate in part because of their parapatric ranges. However, he did report both species from Lea County, New Mexico where this brood sac was found, and both live on mesquite. These are very large Phidippus, with females averaging 13-15 mm in body length.