Portia Labiata - Body Structure and Appearance

Body Structure and Appearance

As in most species of the genus, the bodies of female Portia labiatas are 7 to 10 millimetres long and their carapaces are 2.8 to 3.8 millimetres long. Males' bodies are 5 to 7.5 millimetres long, with carapaces 2.4 to 3.3 millimetres long. The carapaces of females are orange-brown, slightly lighter around the eyes, where there are sooty streaks and sometimes a violet to green sheen in certain lights. There is a broad white moustache along the bottom of the carapace, and running back from each main eye is ridge that looks like a horn. Females' chelicerae are dark orange-brown and decorated with sparse white hairs, which form bands near the carapaces. The abdomens of females are mottled brown and black, and bear hairs of gold, white and black, and there are tufts consisting of brown hairs tipped with white. The carapaces of males are orange-brown, slightly lighter around the eyes, and have brown-black hairs lying on the surface but with a white wedge-shape stripe from the highest point down to the back, and white bands just above the legs. Males' chelicerae are also orange-brown with brown-black markings. The abdomens of males are brown with lighter markings and with brown-black hairs lying on the surface, and a short band of white hairs. The legs of both sexes are dark brown, with light markings in the femora (the sections of the legs nearest the body). All species of the genus Portia have elastic abdomens, so that those of both sexes can become almost spherical when well fed, and females' can stretch as much when producing eggs.