Ant Mimicking Jumping Spider "Myrmarachne Maxillosa"

[tchuanye]

Today, was at Sentosa with family, and along one of the trails, spotted this Ant Mimicking Jumping spider "Myrmarachne maxillosa"

Moving around really like an ant, and had tough time shooting it.....only when it pause, I have to take and shoot.

This is one of my fav JS cos of its mimicking nature.
From Joseph Koh's website: "Some Jumping Spiders assume the appearance of an ant by having long and slender legs and what appears to be a three-part (head-thorax-abdomen) body of an insect. To add further to the deception, the fore-legs are often raised in the air like a pair of antennae.
Some scientists believe that by mimicking ants, the spiders deceive their ant-models and prey either on the ants themselves, or on the homopteran bugs "tended" by the ants. However, it should be noted that the ant-mimicking Jumping Spiders in Singapore have never been observed to have attacked the ants they imitate. A more plausible explanation is that by copying the physical appearance of ants, the ant-mimicking Jumping Spiders are actually buying insurance for self-protection, since spider-hunting wasps, birds and other spider-predators generally avoid ants which secrete the distasteful formic acid when attacked.

There are two genera of anti-like Jumping Spiders in Singapore. The more common Mymarachne have a long waist (pedicel) and an elongated cephalothorax with a constriction dividing the higher cephalic region and the lower thoraxix part. The jaws of Myrmarachne spider, especially the males, are enormously enlarged and project in front making the spider appear to be a soldier ant."


FZ10+Raynox 250, F8, 1/60s, ISO50, 2 diffused flash

#1:In the dark dark corner....

#2: ..out comes The Myrmarachne maxillosa

#3: It has long jaws....

#4:Ant-liked antenna for the 2 front legs....

 

[tchuanye]

#5:With a body like an ant....(interesting carapace btw)

#6: And 8 eyes to look at you...(you can see the small eye at the side and the rear eye too)

#7: ...with (it seems) a kind of special padding at the tip....a spider footprint?

 

[Ramius75]

very nice, thanks for sharing

 

[rhealk]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

p/s: I had to hold my breath when i view them (I got some kind of spider phobia) but, wow! you bring me so close to it! Very detail and sharp.

 

[Jingle]

Great stuff you've got, very detailed and informative, giving the viewers a new meaning of the faces of an insect at close range.

 

[cerebrus]

Good stuff :thumbsup:
I like the profile view of #5.

 

[tchuanye]

very nice, thanks for sharing

Thanks!

p/s: I had to hold my breath when i view them (I got some kind of spider phobia) but, wow! you bring me so close to it! Very detail and sharp.

Thanks! This is a very unique JS!

Great stuff you've got, very detailed and informative, giving the viewers a new meaning of the faces of an insect at close range.

Thanks!

Good stuff :thumbsup:
I like the profile view of #5.

Glad you like it! Must shoot more of other angles next time!

 

[cerebrus]

Glad you like it! Must shoot more of other angles next time!

Well, most people only shoot head on. By shooting side profiles, you give us a better idea of what the spider looks like. I really find it intereseting, how it imitates the head and the thorax of an ant using its own mandibles and head.

Technicially good and aesthetically appealing photos are always nice, photos that teach something are even better.

 

[jbma]

Thanks for sharing. This is an eye opener for me. Never knew there is such ants. It does look like a jumping spider. You seem to have a knack for locating insects. :thumbsup:

 

[zeith]

ant mimicking spider or spider mimicking ant?

 

[cerebrus]

Thanks for sharing. This is an eye opener for me. Never knew there is such ants. It does look like a jumping spider. You seem to have a knack for locating insects. :thumbsup:

Errr.... its a JS. Looks like an ant.

 

[tchuanye]

Well, most people only shoot head on. By shooting side profiles, you give us a better idea of what the spider looks like. I really find it intereseting, how it imitates the head and the thorax of an ant using its own mandibles and head.

Technicially good and aesthetically appealing photos are always nice, photos that teach something are even better.

Thanks for the pointer. Will try to remember that! cos I always aim for the eyes first.

Thanks for sharing. This is an eye opener for me. Never knew there is such ants. It does look like a jumping spider. You seem to have a knack for locating insects. :thumbsup:

As cerebrus pointed, its a JS. Thanks!

ant mimicking spider or spider mimicking ant?

hee hee....always get this question when I post this type of insect.

Its a Ant Mimicking spider just like a Man-eating Lion not Lion eating man

 

[Megadark]

This is so cool. Where did you find it? I want to take a photo of them also.

 

[tchuanye]

This is so cool. Where did you find it? I want to take a photo of them also.

Well, not sure if they gather at one place. These are the locations I have found them:

1) Sentosa Dragon trail
2) Telok Blangah hill

I believe they can be found at most places, except we don't take notice, and when we walk they are not next to the bushes around us.

 

[daden]

Superb! As usual

 

[budak]

These spiders are quite common in parks and gardens, just that most of us mistake them for ant at a casual glance. Look closer at large 'black ants' next time.

I find that for insects/small invertebrates, it's good enough to find a spot in the forest or park with a diversity of vegetation (areas where just one or a few plant species predominate are very poor) and then sit, wait and observe. Many animals are well-camouflaged and you need to be still and observant to detect them.

 

[Qazwer]

Nice write-out and series. The 1st pic made me thought that your standard had dropped not only when I read that it's in the "dark dark corner". ;p :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[tchuanye]

Superb! As usual

Thanks!

These spiders are quite common in parks and gardens, just that most of us mistake them for ant at a casual glance. Look closer at large 'black ants' next time.

I find that for insects/small invertebrates, it's good enough to find a spot in the forest or park with a diversity of vegetation (areas where just one or a few plant species predominate are very poor) and then sit, wait and observe. Many animals are well-camouflaged and you need to be still and observant to detect them.

Thats a very good suggestion. Thats my exp too, thats why sometimes at a small park, I find more bugs than the huge forest!

Nice write-out and series. The 1st pic made me thought that your standard had dropped not only when I read that it's in the "dark dark corner". ;p :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks!

 

[kross]

incredible!! thanks for sharing these excellent shots and capture....

cheers...

 

[tchuanye]

incredible!! thanks for sharing these excellent shots and capture....

cheers...

Thanks Kross!