Male jumping spider (Platycryptus undatus)

Photomacrograph of the head of a male jumping spider (Platycryptus undatus). Jumping spiders (Salticidae) have 8 eyes, 4 of which are arranged in a row on the front or 'face' of the spider. The central pair of eyes are much larger in size. Unlike most other insect eyes, these are simple eyes and not compound eyes. Jumping spiders have very good eyesight which they rely on to hunt and find a mate and as a result they are usually most active during the day. They don't make webs out of silk to catch their prey but instead stalk them and then jump on them from far away. The spider's jaws (chelicerae) are also visible here. Platycryptus undatus are commonly found in North and Central America. Width of image is 1 cm.