spiders are predators and hunt. E. culicivora uses a local processing system for object recognition when recognizing and capturing prey. The spider distinguishes its potential prey based on angles and abstract concepts rather than a more holistic detection approach like posture. Locomotion During normal locomotion, E. culicivora walks in a similar pattern to most salticids. They step for 0.5 seconds and pause for 0.5 seconds in a rapid stop-and-go fashion. When they are provoked, they quickly move away and make repeated leaps combined with running. Differently from other salticids, E. culicivora is less easily provoked and tends to be calmer. Bites to humans and animals Although E. culicivora is found near buildings occupied by people, there is no evidence of anyone ever being bitten by E. culicivora or of any attempt to bite a human. E. culicivora spider mouthparts are not specialized for piercing vertebrate skin and ingesting blood like mosquitoes, even though they feed on vertebrate blood indirectly by taking blood from mosquitoes. Interaction with humans and livestock Human benefits and ecosystem effects Malaria is the world's most important insect-borne threat to public health, causing more than one million deaths per year. All vectors of human malaria are female mosquitoes from the genus Anopheles. In the region where E. culicivora resides, malaria is especially severe. Spiders, especially ones like E. culicivora, that primarily hunt a specific prey can have a significant effect on the population and population dynamics of insects within the habitats they reside. For this reason, researchers have been considering using spiders like E. culicivora for the biocontrol of certain pests. E. culicivora could be a vital way for controlling the spread of deadly viral diseases commonly spread by the Anopheles mosquitoes, although little testing has been done. Detection of human odor Human odor, especially worn socks, is salient to malaria vectors and also to adults and juveniles of E. culicivora. Their detection of human odor may be less important for finding people but more important for finding the mosquitoes that carry blood of people. References External links A Picture of E. culicivora A gallery of E. culicivora BBC article Youtube video showing the species Salticidae Spiders of Africa Spiders described in 2003 Taxa named by Wanda Wesołowska