Curious Spider, Pt. 2 - _TNY_9740

Some sort of female Heliophanus jumping spider looking curiously down from my finger while trying to decide if that's the right way to teleport next.

 

The pattern of this one looks very distinct and you'd think it would be very easy to identify, but there are several species which look exactly alike as from what you can see in photos like these. Basically you'd have to break out the magnifying glass and examin the genitalia to tell which species.

 

This remind me of a problem people do when using Google to verify an ID suggestion. Let's say someone thinks this is a copper sun jumper, Heliophanus cupreus, and google it. Great - every photo Google find of one looks exactly like this so it must be that, right?

 

No. It might just as well be a H. auratus or maybe a H. dubius which look just the same. Which is why ID'ing on just likeness doesn't work.

 

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/35332019091/

 

Another one of the same spider here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/48002680858/

Done