Can you identify this spider? 

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/338627/spider-close.jpg

We just found this spider on our kitchen counter. After it jumped and
tried to kill me, we imprisoned it in a plastic butter container.
During the process of securing it with plastic wrap and a rubber band,
we accidentally killed it. So, the image shows the legs wrapped under
it, but they were really twice as long (or more) as they look in the
photo, which made this guy really scary! The body was just under an
inch long, and was brown with broad black stripes on one section, and
black with brown stripes on the opposing section.

We are in Texas, and just want to know what the heck it was, and why
it was in our kitchen! But a simple I.D. will do so that I can look it
up by name. Thanks!

Greetings mother-ga !

I believe the spider you captured is a Salticidae Phlegra.   This is a
type of "jumping" spider.  Click on the following two links to see
examples of the Salticidae Phlegra:

http://tolweb.org/tree/eukaryotes/animals/arthropoda/arachnida/araneae/salticidae/phlegra/phlegra.gif
http://perso.club-internet.fr/saitis/montardi/salticidae/sc_tool/photos/Phlegra/P_bresnieri_M.jpeg

"A quick photo album of genera of Jumping spiders North of Mexico"
http://tolweb.org/tree/eukaryotes/animals/arthropoda/arachnida/araneae/salticidae/na.scenic.html

Here is a little info about jumping spiders:
"Jumping spiders, or salticids, are so named because they have a
highly coordinated jumping ability with which they capture prey and
traverse from plant to plant. Their sense of sight is extraordinary
for invertebrates; they can see in color (DeVoe 1975), and the large
front eyes focus on objects (Land 1972). Many are marked with
contrasting colors or bands, especially the males who display this
ornamentation while dancing before females to win acceptance for
mating. Jumping spiders as adults may be as small as 1 mm in length or
as large as 23 mm, but most are 5 to 10 mm. All jumping spiders are
harmless to humans, although the larger species can give a locally
painful bite if roughly handled.":
above text from "jumping spiders - Menemerus bivittatus and Plexippus
paykulli":
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/jumping_spiders.htm

(Keep in mind that 1 inch is 25 mm.  From your photo it looks like the
body is about .75 inches, which is about 19 mm.)

"Many jumping spiders are bold, stocky and often brightly colored.
They often have conspicuous bands of black and white on their bodies
or legs. Others have velvety red abdomens and some even have metallic
colors on the chelicerae. Jumping spiders have eight eyes, with one
large pair in the front. Like most spiders, jumping spiders are not
considered hazardous to humans and are unlikely to bite unless
cornered or handled."
above text from "Spiders - Texas A&M Univ. System"
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-1787.html

As stated on the photo album page: "Jumping spiders are easily
distinguished from other spiders by their four big eyes on the face
and four smaller eyes on top of the head."  From your photo I was
unable to see the spider's face and thus was unable to examine the
front eyes.

If you think that you have a different type of spider, please
indicate:
-number and location of eyes
-whether it actually jumped at you or if it just crawled towards you.
-the exact measurement of the body portion (possibly put a ruler next
to it?)
-any additional information you may think would be helpful.

I hope the information in this Answer is helpful.  If you would like
for me to clarify any part of my answer or further research your
question, please let me know before issuing a rating.  Thanks!

Also, I must admit that looking at all of these spider photos started
to creep me out!  I hope I don't have any nightmares tonight...

leep-ga


some search strategies used:
spider texas brown black stripes jumping

---

Request for Answer Clarification by mother-ga on 16 Aug 2003 23:24 PDT

Thank you! We believe it is actually a Wolf Spider (rabidosa rabida),
as seen right under the jumping spider in the TAMU link you provided.
That photo looks just like the spider that was on our counter. But the
photo we took was so bad that it does look like the smaller jumping
spider above it. To answer your questions:

number and location of eyes 
-- are you crazy? didn't get that close to it!

whether it actually jumped at you or if it just crawled towards you. 
-- I think it jumped, but maybe it was jostled by the loaf of bread I
was moving in preparation for the capture

the exact measurement of the body portion (possibly put a ruler next
to it?)
-- too late, in the trash where it shall remain

any additional information you may think would be helpful.
-- as I am 100% sure that I will also have nightmares about it
tonight, I will let you know if more details come to light. But it was
definitely close to an inch, and the legs were very long.

I compared more photos of the jumping and wolf spiders, and we are
pretty sure it is in fact the wolf. One description said they often
enter houses. How it entered our house is another matter. In the end,
your answer helped us figure out what it was for sure. Thanks again
for the very informative and speedy answer.

Thanks, Leep! Quick and informative answer. Excellent links and
identification clues for future  spider sightings.