Carrhotus xanthogramma

Characteristics

A jumping spider about 1 cm long. Females are pale brown all over, with a dark brown cephalothorax. There is a dark color in the center of the abdomen. Males are black except for the abdomen, and the abdomen is light brown. Both males and females have hair on their legs. Combined with the appearance of walking around in search of food, it gives the impression of a cat, as its Japanese name suggests.

Honchi play

In Kanagawa Prefecture and some parts of Chiba Prefecture, there is a custom of holding insect sumo wrestling called "Honchi Asobi," in which male jumping spiders fight each other. The male sumo wrestlers were called 'Honchi'.

Ecology

Found from plains to mountains. In addition to being commonly seen in parks near residential areas, they sometimes come indoors in search of small animals to feed on. As the name suggests, they prey on small insects such as flies. When confronted with another male, the male performs a threatening behavior that opens the first leg to the left and right.

Habitat

In April, I found several males and females on a forest trail in Komiya Park, Hachioji City. They roamed over fences looking for insects to feed on. When I compared the wandering way of walking with the cat, I thought that it could be seen that way. Even when I pointed the camera at him, he didn't run away and looked up.