ANT-LIKE CRAB SPIDER (Amyciaea lineatipes)
The abdomen imitates the head of the familiar "Kerengga" ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) with the two dark dots simulating the ant's eyes.
The cephalothorax is exaggeratedly arched, giving the impression that it is the abdomen of the ant.
The first two pairs of legs are often jerkily held up and down while the spider moves about in an advance-and-halt fashion.
It feeds on Kerengga ants at night. It remains stationary and waits in ambush for some unsuspecting ant to crawl by. On seeing an ant, it pounces on the ant. While holding the ant in its jaws and anchoring itself with a safety line of silk, it falls with the ant.
The silken safety line allows the spider to remain suspended in mid-air where the ant has no chance to mount a counter-attack. The ant soon ceases its futile struggle when the venom takes effect.
From this site. And photo from flickr.
1 comment:
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