Golden Ant-mimicking Jumping Spider - Myrmarachne sp.
FAMILY SALTICIDAE
This page contains pictures and information about Golden Ant-mimicking Jumping Spiders that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 8mm, mimics the Golden black ant.
Jumping Spider is a very large family contains the most colourful species of spiders. The Myrmarachne genus mimic ants. They mimic in body shape, colour patterns, and behaviors as well. This is an example of Batesian mimics of ants, i.e., gain some degree of protection by look like the ants.
- This Golden Ant-mimicking Spider walk like an ant too. The spider hide among ants without being detected. It waves their front legs just like the ant's antenna. This spider is found in a line of ants on a gum tree trunk.
- However, when disturbed, this spider run very fast and jump as a typical Jumping Spider.
- This Jumping Spider can be found on gum tree trunk, when many ants was walking up and down.
- This spider is common in Brisbane eucalypt forests.
- This one look a bit different, with a silver bend. It could be different species.
- Reference:
- 1. Ant-mimicking spider - The Find-a-spider Guide for Australian Spiders, University of Southern Queensland, 2007.
- 2. Spiders of Australia: An Introduction to Their Classification, Biology & Distribution - Hawkeswood T, Pensoft Pub, 2003, p79.
- 3. Australian Spiders in colour - Ramon Mascord, Reed Books Pty Ltd, 1970, p26 (Myrmarachne striatipes)
