[x]

Browse More Like This

More from ~melvynyeo

View Gallery · View Prints

Featured in Groups:

#MacroPhotographers
A macro photography group

#worldthroughyoureyes

#EliteMacro

#BugZoo
Amazing Insects

Details

Submitted: April 5, 2012
Image Size: 361 KB
Resolution: 960×640

Link

Thumb

Statistics

Comments: 33
Favourites: 134 [who?]
Views: 1,841 (2 today)
Downloads: 171 (0 today)

[x]

Ant-Like Crab Spiderby ~melvynyeo

Photography / Macro / Nature

Lost a few legs... but still photogenic

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. 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.

Crab spiders move sideways, like crabs. The body is not as hairy as in most spiders. They are slow-moving spiders which do not actively hunt like Wolf Spiders. Instead, they remain stationary and await in ambush for some unsuspecting insects to land in front of them. The first two pairs of legs in most Crab Spiders are longer and heavier than the third and fourth pairs, and are armed with spines for holding and grasping prey.

Source [link]

love 2 2

joy 2 2

wow 1 1

~~mad 0 0~~

~~sad 0 0~~

~~fear 0 0~~

~~neutral 0 0~~

~Bliss89 Jan 21, 2013

omg!I want to find a spider like this!!

~Trutze Jun 9, 2012 Student Digital Artist

it is SO cute

~sablover May 16, 2012

awesome little monster...

~melvynyeo May 22, 2012

Thanks!

~Velodona May 11, 2012

I didn't realize this was a crab spider. I've read about this faker before. "Ooh I'm just one of you guys, an ant, don't mind me while I eat your larvae." Great photo! He's very cute ^.^

~melvynyeo May 22, 2012

Thanks!

~MasdevalliaJR May 9, 2012

This one always makes me laugh

~melvynyeo May 10, 2012

Glad you like it

*s-kmp May 9, 2012

Beautiful lighting makes this a wonderfully warm shot

~melvynyeo May 10, 2012

Thanks!

More from ~melvynyeo

Featured in Groups:

Details

Statistics

Ant-Like Crab Spiderby ~melvynyeo

The Journal Portal

Polls

What is your preferred drawing software?

deviantART [dee·vee·un'nt·ART]

Keep in Touch!

Deviousness

Add Media

Style