Ant mimic jumping spider

[troypiggo]

Not the best shots, but found this little fella fascinating to watch. Amazing how they mimic ants. Had me fooled at first, was wondering why an ant was eating a midge. Took me a really close look to realise it was actually an ant mimic jumping spider.

[bloodhound31]

WHOA!! That is just sooo waayyy COOL! I've never seen or even heard of one of these! I had to look hard to see a spider, but the one you have front-on shows it perfectly!

Well lit too mate.

Baz.

[lacad01]

A little master of disguise eh! Nice captures :thumbsup:

[[1ponders]]

8 legs ;) Love the way the first pair of legs mimic an ants antenna. Yep Baz, way cool. :cool2:

Fabulous shot Troy.

[troypiggo]

Thanks guys. Makes you wonder how many times you've actually seen one and thought it was just another ant, hey.

Yeah, Paul. The front legs and way they hold them is to mimic the ant's antennae. Also its body colourings - spiders just have a head and an abdomen, while ants have a head, thorax, and abdomen. See on the second shot there's a white bit that makes it kind of look like the head is 2 tagmata (head and thorax) like an ant? Amazing. That, plus the black shiny external - perfect disguise.

[Dennis]

Lovely photos Troy. Nice, smooth tones throughout and thanks for the education too!

Cheers

Dennis

[[1ponders]]

Ah yes I missed that. So obvious when you point it out.

It makes me wonder what evolutionary benefit the spider would achieve by mimicking the ant. I wouldn't have through aphids would have fled from a spider. Too slow and just not geared to evade a fast moving predator. So I wonder if the disguise is to fool the aphid or to fool the ants so they don't attach it while the spider is hunting. Or is it to fool another predator into thinking its an ant? Strange

[Osirisra]

Cool shots!

[troypiggo]

It's not an aphid its got there, it's some sort of midge. Not sure if it's to get close, not looking like a threat. That's what I assume, anyway. The mimicry is typically either to protect it from predators, which I doubt in this case. Or to be a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[keni]

Those are great shots Troy.
I've never heard of this spider before either...fascinating.
Did you take these at home or Roma St. Park.

Cheers,
Ken.

[[1ponders]]

Ah thanks Troy, I missed that, when I looked at the photos it looked like an aphid but its not.

[troypiggo]

Was at Roma St Parklands. Wasn't there to shoot macro, actually. Was there with my 20 month old son, just come from the playground and walking back down to the car. Saw this fella, luckily had my camera and macro gear with me ;)