Phidippus is a genus in the family Salticidae (jumping spiders). Some of the largest jumping spiders inhabit this genus, and many species are characterized by their brilliant, iridescent green chelicerae. Phidippus is distributed almost exclusively in North America, with the exception of two exported species (Phidippus audax and Phidippus regius). As of 2004, there are 60 valid described species in the genus. Species previously described in Phidippus which are found in India and Bangladesh do not belong in this genus.
The genus name is likely derived from Cicero's speech Pro Rege Deiotaro (Speech in Behalf of King Deiotarus): Phidippus was a slave who was physician to King Deiotaros. Literally, the words means "one who spares horses" in Ancient Greek.
Accepted species
The genus Phidippus consists of the following 60 species:
Phidippus johnsoni (Peckham & Peckham, 1883) — North America
Phidippus kastoni Edwards, 2004 — USA
Phidippus lynceus Edwards, 2004 — USA
Phidippus maddisoni Edwards, 2004 — Mexico
Phidippus mimicus Edwards, 2004 — Mexico
Phidippus morpheus Edwards, 2004 — USA, Mexico
Phidippus mystaceus (Hentz, 1846) — USA
Phidippus nikites Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 — USA, Mexico
Phidippus octopunctatus (Peckham & Peckham, 1883) — USA, Mexico
Phidippus olympus Edwards, 2004 — USA
Phidippus otiosus (Hentz, 1846) — USA
Phidippus phoenix Edwards, 2004 — USA, Mexico
Phidippus pius Scheffer, 1905 — USA to Costa Rica
Phidippus pompatus Edwards, 2004 — Mexico
Phidippus princeps (Peckham & Peckham, 1883) — USA, Canada
Phidippus pruinosus Peckham & Peckham, 1909 — USA
Phidippus pulcherrimus Keyserling, 1885 — USA
Phidippus purpuratus Keyserling, 1885 — USA, Canada
Phidippus putnami (Peckham & Peckham, 1883) — USA
Phidippus regius C. L. Koch, 1846 (USA, West Indies, Easter Island — introduced)
Phidippus richmani Edwards, 2004 — USA
Phidippus texanus Banks, 1906 — USA, Mexico
Phidippus tigris Edwards, 2004 — USA
Phidippus toro Edwards, 1978 — USA, Mexico
Phidippus tux Pinter, 1970 — USA, Mexico
Phidippus tyrannus Edwards, 2004 — USA, Mexico
Phidippus tyrrelli Peckham & Peckham, 1901 — North America
Phidippus ursulus Edwards, 2004 — USA
Phidippus venus Edwards, 2004 — Mexico
Phidippus vexans Edwards, 2004 — USA
Phidippus whitmani Peckham & Peckham, 1909 — USA, Canada
Phidippus workmani Peckham & Peckham, 1901 — USA
Phidippus zethus Edwards, 2004 — Mexico
Misplaced species
In addition to the species above, several species have been misplaced in the genus (according to Edward's revision) but have yet to be transferred to other genera. These include:
Phidippus aeneidens Taczanowski, 1878 — Peru
Phidippus albocinctus Caporiacco, 1947 — Guyana
Phidippus bengalensis Tikader, 1977 — India
Phidippus bhimrakshiti Gajbe, 2004 — India
Phidippus birabeni Mello-Leitão, 1944 — Argentina
Phidippus calcuttaensis Biswas, 1984 — India
Phidippus exlineae Caporiacco, 1955 — Venezuela
Phidippus guianensis Caporiacco, 1947 — Guyana
Phidippus hingstoni Mello-Leitão, 1948 — Guyana
Phidippus khandalaensis Tikader, 1977 — India
Phidippus majumderi Biswas, 1999 — Bangladesh
Phidippus punjabensis Tikader, 1974 — India
Phidippus tenuis Kraus, 1955 — El Salvador
Phidippus tirapensis Biswas & Biswas, 2006 — India
