Peacock Spider

This is the peacock spider Maratus volans. Jürgen Otto was the first to film this spider's mating dance. Credit: Jürgen Otto View full size image The animal dances and lifts up its tail-flap, which, once unfurled, resembles an abstract Indian blanket of intense color. The tiny creature hops about, lifts up its legs alternately like an air traffic controller, gesturing this way and that