| Phiale mimica | |
|---|---|
 | |
| female from Koch 1846 | |
 | |
| male from Koch 1846 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Salticidae |
| Subfamily: | Salticinae |
| Genus: | Phiale |
| Species: | P. mimica |
| Binomial name | |
| Phiale mimica (C. L. Koch, 1846) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Phiale mimica is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It is found in Brazil. [1]
The species was originally described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1846 under two separate names: Plexippus mimicus for the female and Euophrys bella for the male. [2] These were later recognized as the same species and synonymized by María Elena Galiano in 1981. [3]
Phiale mimica belongs to the mimica species group within the genus Phiale . [4]
P. mimica has been recorded from various localities in Brazil. [1] There have been observations as north as Mexico. [5]
Phiale mimica is a moderately robust jumping spider. The original description by Koch noted the male as having a black body with yellow markings, including a broad curved stripe around the head region and three broad transverse stripes on the abdomen that are bright yellow. The legs are yellow with black, hairy segments. [2]
Like other members of the mimica group, this species exhibits the characteristic palpal and epigynal features of the genus Phiale. Males have a transverse tegular division with a well-developed proximal retrolateral lobe, while females possess unique epigynal copulatory openings with extended outer edges forming secondary atria within larger atrial depressions. [4]
Members of the mimica group, including P. mimica, are typically found by beating branches along forest edges. They exhibit behavioral patterns similar to species in the genus Pachomius , including characteristic waving of the front legs. However, species in the mimica group are generally more robust in build than Pachomius species, though smaller than members of the formosa or gratiosa groups within Phiale. [4]
Some females in the mimica group display bright warning colors that may serve as mimicry of female mutillid wasps (velvet ants). [4]