Mating display of the jumping spider Habronattus borealis

Jumping spiders in the genus Habronattus use complex multimodal signals during courtship displays. Spiders of the H. coecatus clade, a diverse group of 23 described species, have especially complex song and dance displays. One species, H. borealis is an exception. Unlike the other species in this clade, H. borealis displays are highly variable and can be grouped into two major strategies. A complex strategy that uses up to 7 elements organized in functional groupings (motifs) that change as courtship progresses or a simple strategy consisting of 1-2 elements. Relative to other members of the H. coecatus clade, vibrations are of low intensity. H. borealis males are also relatively drably colored compared to other members of the H. coecatus clade. This video compiles all the elements in a H. borealis display collected from Toronto, Ontario. "Sounds" in the video are substrate-borne vibrations produced by the male spider and recorded using a laser vibrometer. For more information visit http://nature.berkeley.edu/eliaslab