Peacock Spider Print, Lino Block Print of the colourful Maratus Speciosus, the Coastal Peacock Spider of Australia

This is a hand-printed lino block print of the colourful Australian Coastal Peacock Spider, Maratus Speciosus. Like the name suggests, peacock spiders have vivid, patterned, multicolour abdomens (and that round opisthosomal plate) which males lift and shake, along with their third pair of legs, during a courtship display. That is, much like peacocks, the males do a fancy dance to impress the lady spiders! Unlike other peacock spiders, the males of the Maratus Speciosus also have a set of bright orange hairs (setae) along both edges of the opisthosomal plate, only visible during the courtship display, as shown in this print. Even if you're uncertain how you feel about spiders, these beautiful jumping spiders will win you over with their dance moves and beautiful colours. This is one of an edition of 18, printed in browns, blue, turquoise, and orange on white handmade Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper, 8" x 8" (or 20.3 cm by 20.3 cm). In a recently delightful science communication exchange amongst scientists on Twitter, spider specialists identified the mysterious jumping spiders in an astronomer's office and mentioned that their amazing eye tubes actually function like Galileo's telescope... which lead to some quick calculations and the realization that jumping spiders can see the moon! (You can read more in the Atlantic).