Maratus spicatus, Otto & Hill 2012 c, 2012

Otto, Jürgen C. & Hill, David E., 2017, Catalogue of the Australian peacock spiders (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini: Maratus, Saratus), version 2, Peckhamia 148 (2), pp. 1-24 : 14

The spicatus group

This group includes four small (2.5-4 mm in body length) species. Males rear their colourful fan and wave it from side to side. Except for M. nimbus they do not extend legs III as they display to females. Legs III have no special markings and are close to legs IV in length. The male pedipalp of each species has a conical proximal tegulum, an inward projection on the medial side of the relatively large circular ring of the embolus, and the apex of the embolus has a convergent inner and outer edge that resembles that seen in members of the chrysomelas group, a group that may be closely related. The male of each of these species is nonetheless quite distinct.