Mopsus Salticids

Mopsus salticids are a salticid species. They rose from Mopsus mormon populations in late Anthropocene Australia.

Origin
Modern Mopsus mormon live in East Australia and New Guinea. At some point, during the merging of Eurasia with Antarctica and much of Oceania, a single population of Mopsus living in Australia evolved salticid intelligence. They were especially prevalent along the eastern coastal area of Pangea Proxima 1 and much of their unique material culture revolved around artifacts from the sea, such as shells, seaweed, and exoskeletal remains of aquatic arthropods such as springtails.

Description
Mopsus salticids are sexually dimorphic, with females possessing a unique orange, black, and white pattern on top of the cephalothorax, while males have a dark brown face/legs and a distinct triangular "topknot" of setae. All are otherwise colored a light, almost translucent green. Their abdomens are usually darker in color than the rest of their bodies, with an orange, yellow, or white tinge, and streaks of red running lengthwise.

Abilities
While physically average, they are known for the strength of their silk.

Society
Mopsus salticids were latecomers to the Terran Mingle, preferring the coast for most of their history, but were represented among the four original Mingle species along with Portian, Helpis, and Hyllus salticids. Around 200 PT, after the founding of Portia, the Mopsus population of the Mingle split into two factions. One stayed with the Mingle while another split off and formed the new Mopsus Coastal Culture (and eventually Mopsus Prefecture). After Hyllus was founded, the Helpis and Mopsus peacefully parted ways, and those that remained formed a loose, wide state of staggered communities known as Vast Mopsus. Members of the various elite communities of Vast Mopsus would collaborate with Portia to drive the Solenopsids, which warred with both states, into the Eurasian Mountains.

Eventually, Portia would turn on Vast Mopsus and gradually subjugate its inhabitants in a campaign of slow violence, forcing many into silk slavery. The Coastal Mopsus would end up in an ongoing land dispute, with both themselves and the Helpis claiming sovereignty over the southeastern territories.