Pantropical Jumping Spider

Pantropical Jumping Spiders for Sale The Pantropical Jumping Spider (Plexippus paykulli) is a globally distributed jumping spider native to tropical Southeast Asia and Africa. The species has spread worldwide through human commerce — established populations now exist across the southern United States (Florida, Gulf Coast, south Texas, Georgia, South Carolina), Australia, the Mediterranean, and the Maldives. Adult females reach 9 to 12 mm body length with greyish-brown coloration; males are slightly smaller (9-11 mm) and feature dramatic red accents that make the sexes look almost like different species. The scientific name honors Swedish entomologist Gustaf von Paykull (1757-1826), one of the early founders of Scandinavian arachnology. Sold as single specimens. Ships FedEx only. Overview Pantropical Jumping Spiders are family Salticidae (jumping spider family) like the Bold Jumping Spider, but in a different genus (Plexippus rather than Phidippus). The general care framework — small vertical enclosure, infrequent feeding, room temperature, moderate humidity, no special lighting — is broadly the same as our Bold Jumping Spider. See that page for the full small-enclosure-and-infrequent-feeding framework that applies to both species. The biological feature that distinguishes the Pantropical Jumping Spider is its documented commensal lifestyle with humans — this species lives almost entirely on human buildings in both its native and introduced ranges. Important: Same Care Errors as the Bold Jumping Spider Page The source page for this product has the same care errors as the Bold Jumping Spider page, with one additional issue. The corrections needed: Enclosure too big: “5-10 gallon enclosure” is wrong. Correct adult enclosure is 4x4x7 inches vertical to about 1 cubic foot maximum. Feeding too frequent: “Every 2-3 days” is too much for adults. Adults eat 1-2 prey items per WEEK. Mealworms in prey list: Inappropriate — chitin too hard. Use small crickets, flies, fruit flies, small roach nymphs, or BSF larvae instead. UVB lighting suggested as “beneficial”: Not needed and potentially harmful. Jumping spiders don’t need UVB — natural ambient room light is sufficient. If you’ve been keeping a jumping spider based on the original advice, the urgent corrections are: reduce feeding to 1-2 per week, switch to appropriate prey types, and remove any UVB lighting. Honest Note: This Species Lives on Buildings This is the most genuinely interesting feature of the Pantropical Jumping Spider and what distinguishes it from the Bold Jumping Spider (which lives in gardens, fences, and natural areas). In plain English: They prefer human structures. Documented hobby and field observations consistently find P. paykulli on exterior walls, eaves, window frames, and around outdoor lighting fixtures. They use natural areas less frequently. They hunt at lights. Artificial lights attract moths, flies, flying ants, and other small insects at night. The spiders position themselves near light sources to ambush these visitors. They’re diurnal hunters but use light-attracted prey opportunistically. They’ve spread globally with people. The pantropical distribution isn’t an accident of biology — the species hitches rides on human commerce (shipping containers, building materials, ornamental plants) and establishes new populations wherever climate permits. They’re harmless to humans and beneficial. Non-aggressive, non-medically-significant venom, and they reduce insect pest populations on buildings where they live. For keepers, this commensal-with-humans biology means the species adapts naturally to indoor captive environments. They’re at home on artificial vertical surfaces and respond well to standard household lighting and temperatures. Honest Note: Named for a Swedish Entomologist The scientific name “paykulli” honors Gustaf von Paykull (1757-1826), a Swedish naturalist who was one of the early founders of Scandinavian entomology and arachnology. He described many insect and spider species in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and a number of species are named in his honor across multiple groups. This is the same pattern as our other honorific-named species like Schwarz’s Hooded Cockroach (named for entomologist E.A. Schwarz) — honoring researchers who contributed to documented natural history. The Pantropical Jumping Spider was described under this name by C.L. Koch in 1846. How It Compares to the Bold Jumping Spider The natural comparison between our two jumping spider products: Size: Pantropical Jumping Spider 9-12 mm; Bold Jumping Spider 8-19 mm. Bold is larger on the upper end. Native range: Pantropical is Southeast Asia/Africa (introduced to Americas); Bold is North American native. Habitat: Pantropical lives on human buildings; Bold lives in gardens, fences, wood piles. Color: Pantropical is greyish-brown with red accents in males; Bold has the famous iridescent green-blue chelicerae. Sexual dimorphism: Pantropical has more pronounced male-vs-female differences; Bold has subtler dimorphism. Personality: Pantropical is documented as docile and easy-handling; Bold is documented as more curious and “approach-rather-than-flee.” Care: Identical care framework — small vertical enclosure, infrequent feeding, room temperature, moderate humidity. Buyer profile: Bold suits first-time arachnid keepers; Pantropical suits keepers wanting a second jumping spider or interested in commensal-with-humans biology. Both species are excellent. For keepers wanting variety in a jumping spider collection, having one of each is a documented good combination. Care and Setup (Brief) Husbandry is essentially the same as our Bold Jumping Spider — see that page for the full detailed care framework. The short version: Enclosure: 4x4x7 inch vertical container minimum, up to about 1 cubic foot. Tight-fitting lid, small ventilation holes. Substrate: Coco coir, sphagnum moss, or sterile paper towel. About 1 inch deep. Temperature: 72-82°F. Room temperature in most US households works fine year-round. Humidity: 50-60% ambient. Light mist once a week; the spider drinks the droplets. Lighting: Natural ambient room light. NO UVB needed despite what the live page suggests. Feeding: 1-2 appropriately-sized prey items per week (small crickets, flies, fruit flies, small roach nymphs, BSF larvae). Avoid mealworms, waxworms, large prey. Hydration: Weekly light mist. No deep water dishes. Decor: Cork bark and silk plants for vertical climbing. Small retreat at the top of the enclosure for silk hammock construction. Handling Notes Documented as docile and easy to handle, similar to the Bold Jumping Spider. Best practices: let the spider come to you voluntarily, handle over a soft surface, move slowly, avoid handling during molting periods. Once every few days at most. Best For Existing jumping spider keepers wanting a second species Photographers drawn to the dramatic male coloration with red accents Florida and Gulf Coast residents already familiar with wild populations on local buildings Hobbyists interested in commensal-with-humans biology Apartment-dwellers wanting a small-footprint exotic pet First-time spider keepers (though our Bold Jumping Spider is documented as marginally more beginner-friendly) Not Best For Keepers wanting a long-lived pet (1-2 year lifespan is short) Setups with extreme temperatures (below 65°F or above 85°F) Anyone selecting USPS shipping (FedEx only) Customers who plan to release the spider outdoors Origin and Locality Notes Plexippus paykulli is native to tropical regions of Southeast Asia and Africa per multiple authoritative sources (InsectsID, Bug Eric, iNaturalist). The species has spread globally through human commerce, with established populations now in the southern United States, parts of South America extending to Paraguay, Australia, the Mediterranean, and the Maldives. In the US, the species is found from South Carolina through Florida, the Gulf Coast states, and into south Texas. While established in the US for decades, it’s considered an introduced species rather than a native species. The species was first described by C.L. Koch in 1846 and named in honor of Swedish entomologist Gustaf von Paykull. Receiving and Acclimation Your spider ships in a small ventilated container suited to FedEx transit. Open the package in a closed room on arrival. Transfer the spider into a prepared small vertical enclosure with retreat space, light moisture, and food appropriate to its life stage. Give the spider 24-48 hours to settle before handling. Don’t feed immediately — wait 1-2 days. As with every live animal we sell, do not release the spider outdoors. Recommended Add-Ons Fruit Fly Cultures for feeding slings and juveniles. Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) as a soft, nutritious prey alternative. Live Crickets for adult feeding — pinhead to 1/4-inch sizes only. Bold Jumping Spider (P. audax) for keepers building a jumping spider collection across both species. Red Runner Roaches as a softer-bodied feeder alternative. Frequently Asked Questions What does “pantropical” mean? “Pan” means “all” and “tropical” refers to the warm tropics. So “pantropical” means “found across all tropical regions” — describing the species’ distribution across tropical Southeast Asia, Africa, parts of the Americas, Australia, and the Mediterranean. The species hitched rides on human commerce to spread globally from its Southeast Asian origins. Why does this species live on buildings? Documented commensal lifestyle — meaning the species benefits from association with humans without harming or helping us directly. Buildings provide vertical surfaces for hunting, eaves and crevices for retreats, and artificial lights that attract abundant prey at night. The species has adapted so well to human structures that it’s now found more on buildings than in natural habitat across its introduced range. How does this compare to the Bold Jumping Spider? Same family (Salticidae), different genus. Pantropical is smaller (9-12 mm vs 8-19 mm), more globally distributed but introduced to the US (Bold is North American native), lives on buildings (Bold lives in natural areas), and has more dramatic male-vs-female coloration. Care framework is identical. Bold is documented as marginally more beginner-friendly; Pantropical is a good second jumping spider for collectors. Who was Paykull? Gustaf von Paykull (1757-1826) was a Swedish naturalist and one of the early founders of Scandinavian entomology and arachnology. He described many insect and spider species in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The species is named in his honor by C.L. Koch in 1846. Are the care errors on the page going to be fixed? The corrected guidance is in this rewrite and we recommend the source page be updated. The most urgent issues are the oversized enclosure recommendation (4x4x7 inches is correct, not 5-10 gallons), the inappropriate mealworms in the prey list (use crickets, flies, fruit flies, BSF larvae instead), and the suggestion that UVB lighting is beneficial (it isn’t and may be harmful). The feeding frequency of “every 2-3 days” is also too high for adults — 1-2 per week is appropriate. Learn More About Plexippus paykulli These references give keepers background on the species, distribution, and biology. Wikipedia: Plexippus paykulli. The species profile with documented Southeast Asian origin and global distribution. iNaturalist: Plexippus paykulli observations. A community-sourced biodiversity platform with verified global observations showing the species’ commensal-with-humans habitat preference. Wikipedia: Salticidae (jumping spider family). The family-level context for jumping spider biology, vision, and hunting behavior.