Jumping Spider

5654   I thought this was a jumping spider, though it never jumped, but then I was told it was a brown recluse. I noticed there are no brown recluses on your site, so it thought if this is one, it might be a good addition to your list. The spider came around the open window every afternoon after I noticed some fruit flies in my dorm room. I finally had it squished, because it was freaking out my roommate, but it was not aggressive.

This is a jumping spider (family Salticidae), likely in the genus Platycryptus – see http://tinyurl.com/mm4mxl for an example. These spiders are completely harmless to humans. Just FYI, except for the so-called ‘violin’ on their cephalothorax, recluse spiders lack any readily evident markings. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.