# Cyrba

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For the town of ancient Crete, see [Cyrba (Crete)](/source/Cyrba_(Crete)).

***Cyrba*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of [spiders](/source/Spider) in the family [Salticidae (jumping spiders)](/source/Jumping_spider). The genus was erected by [Hippolyte Lucas](/source/Hippolyte_Lucas) in 1846.[1]

## Description

*Cyrba* spiders are small to medium size spiders that are usually brightly colored. Their [cephalothorax](/source/Cephalothorax) is long and moderately high. The [eyes](/source/Spider_vision) are [lateral](/source/Lateral_(anatomy)). The [abdomen](/source/Opisthosoma) is long with bright colorful patterns. Their legs are thin and slender.[2] The genus has been described as [primitive](/source/Primitive_(phylogenetics)) because of their pervasive use of [webs](/source/World_Wide_Web), large [posterior](/source/Posterior_(anatomy)) [median](/source/Median) eyes, and the secretory organs on the [femora](/source/Femora) of males. These characteristics were lost by advanced salticids. The genus are also almost wholly dependent on their [vision](/source/Visual_perception).[3] The primary mating season for the spider *C. algerina* is May. Juveniles emerge in July, grow to about half the adult size by winter, and then grow to adult size in the spring of the following year.[4] The genus is commonly found on very rocky ground under rocks, or less often walking around on the ground or on the tops of rocks.[5]

## Silk and eggs

The spider spins [silk](/source/Silk) on which to [moult](/source/Moult). *Cyrba* makes an [egg sac](/source/Egg_sac) by spinning a thick [silk](/source/Silk) sheet on the side of a rock, and then [ovipositing](/source/Oviposit) the eggs in the center, covering them with another layer of silk. The egg sacs have clusters of white spots. *Cyrba* spiders generally stay with their eggs until they hatch. In a laboratory, they do not spin silk for moulting or resting.[6]

## Diet

Spiders in this genus feed on other spiders, and prefer them to insects. They also feed on any insect that is caught in their silk. In a laboratory test to see if *Cyrba* spiders would attack other salticids, they did not.[7] The spider *C. algerina* is the only spider in the genus that is known to hunt at night.[4]

## Species

As of October 2025, this genus includes nine species:[1]

- *[Cyrba algerina](/source/Cyrba_algerina)* ([Lucas](/source/Hippolyte_Lucas), 1846) – Canary Is. to Central Asia (type species)
- *[Cyrba boveyi](/source/Cyrba_boveyi)* [Lessert](/source/Roger_de_Lessert), 1933 – [Kenya](/source/Kenya), [Angola](/source/Angola), [Namibia](/source/Namibia), [Mozambique](/source/Mozambique), [South Africa](/source/South_Africa)
- *[Cyrba dotata](/source/Cyrba_dotata)* G. W. Peckham & E. G. Peckham, 1903 – South Africa
- *[Cyrba legendrei](/source/Cyrba_legendrei)* [Wanless](/source/Fred_Wanless), 1984 – [Madagascar](/source/Madagascar), [Comoros](/source/Comoros), [Mayotte](/source/Mayotte)
- *[Cyrba lineata](/source/Cyrba_lineata)* Wanless, 1984 – South Africa, [Eswatini](/source/Eswatini)
- *[Cyrba nigrimana](/source/Cyrba_nigrimana)* [Simon](/source/Eug%C3%A8ne_Simon), 1900 – [Tanzania](/source/Tanzania), Mozambique, South Africa
- *[Cyrba ocellata](/source/Cyrba_ocellata)* (Kroneberg, 1875) – Eastern Africa to India and Indonesia, Caucasus to Central Asia and China. Introduced to [Australia](/source/Australia) (Queensland)
- *[Cyrba simoni](/source/Cyrba_simoni)* Wijesinghe, 1993 – [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria), [Cameroon](/source/Cameroon), [DR Congo](/source/DR_Congo), [Uganda](/source/Uganda), Kenya, [Burundi](/source/Burundi), Angola
- *[Cyrba szechenyii](/source/Cyrba_szechenyii)* [Karsch](/source/Ferdinand_Karsch), 1898 – [China](/source/China)

## References

1. ["Gen. *Cyrba* Simon, 1876"](https://wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/2606). World Spider Catalog. [doi:10.24436/2](https://doi.org/10.24436/2). Retrieved 2025-10-07.

1. Sebastian, P. A. & Peter, K.V. (2009). [*Spiders of India*](https://books.google.com/books?id=9oVHO-3ZGx4C&q=Cyrba&pg=PA288). Universities Press. p. 288. ISBN 9788173716416.

1. Wanless, F.R. (1984). ["A revision of the spider genus Cyrba (Araneae: Salticidae) with the description of a new presumptive pheromone dispersing organ"](http://biostor.org/reference/49). *Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology*. **47**: 445–481. [doi:10.5962/p.21842](https://doi.org/10.5962/p.21842). Retrieved 2010-05-13.

1. Guseinov, Elchin F.; Cerveira, Ana M.; Jackson, Robert R. (2004). "The predatory strategy, natural diet, and life cycle of Cyrba algerina, an araneophagic jumping spider (Salticidae: Spartaeinae) from Azerbaijan". *New Zealand Journal of Zoology*. **31** (4): 291. [doi:10.1080/03014223.2004.9518382](https://doi.org/10.1080/03014223.2004.9518382)

1. Robert R. Jackson: "[Predatory versatility and intraspecific interactions of *Cyrba algerina* and *Cyrba ocellata*, web-invading spartaeine jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)](https://books.google.com/books?id=YYcpCso-mhUC&dq=Cyrba&pg=PA160)" in: *New Zealand Journal of Zoology*, 1990, Vol. 17, pp. 157-168

1. New Zealand Journal of Zoology (1900). [*New Zealand Journal of Zoology*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YYcpCso-mhUC&q=Cyrba&pg=PA160). pp. 158–159.

1. New Zealand Journal of Zoology (1900). [*Jackson*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YYcpCso-mhUC&q=Cyrba&pg=PA160). p. 157.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cyrba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrba) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrba?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.