Ballus chalybeius

{{Short description|Species of spider}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Ballus chalybeius 28578602 cropped.jpg

|image_caption = Adult male

|taxon = Ballus chalybeius

|authority = (Walckenaer, 1802)

|range_map = Distribution.ballus.chalybeius.1.png

|range_map_upright = 1.1

|synonyms =

Aranea depressa

Aranea chalybeia

Attus chalybeius

Salticus annulipes

Attus annulipes

Salticus brevipes

Salticus heterophthalmus

Euophrys suralis

Euophrys brevipes

Marpissa brevipes

Attus heterophthalmus

Salticus obscurus

Ballus heterophthalmus

Attus brevipes

Attus quinquefoveolatus

Attus biimpressus

Balla heterophthalma

Dendryphantes annulipes

Dendryphantes brevipes

Attus seguipes

Ballus depressus

Ballus obscurus

}}

Ballus chalybeius is a jumping spider. It is the type species of the genus Ballus.

Appearance

Image:Salticid.061116.in.retreat.jpg

This flattened spider can reach a length of {{convert|3|–|4|mm}}. The prosoma is dark brown in females, with irregular lighter markings. The lightly yellow legs have dark rings in both sexes. In males, which are generally darker, the first legs are dark and thickened. The species is similar to Ballus rufipes, which is smaller and much darker.Bellmann, H. (1997). Kosmos-Atlas Spinnentiere Europas. Kosmos. pX

Habits

During summer, the female builds a flat silken retreat on the underside of a leaf and guards its egg sac inside.

Habitat

It can be found mostly on the fringes of deciduous forests, on broad-leaved bushes and trees, particularly oaks, and in the grass. In Central Europe, they are widely distributed and in most areas quite common.

Distribution

Ballus chalybeius occurs in Europe, North Africa to Central Asia.Platnick, N. I. (2006). [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html The world spider catalog], version 7.0. American Museum of Natural History.

Name

The species name is derived from Ancient Greek chalyb- "steel".

References

{{Reflist}}