SALTICIDAE - ANT MIMICKING SPIDER

FACT FILE - 290

Family

Salticidae

Species

Myrmarachne luctuosa forma urens
(L Koch, 1879)

Body Length

Female: 6mm
Male: 4mm

Habitat

Found on Eucalyptus trees in association with Jack Jumper ants.

Toxicity

Too small to be considered harmful to humans.

Click on images to enlarge.

2902

Female

2903

Female

2904

Female

2909

Female. Ventral view.

29010

Female epigyne.

2905

Male

2906

Male

2907

Male

2908

Male palp

290jj1

Jack Jumper Ant, Myrmecia urens, Lowne, 1865. This is the ant that the spider mimics. The spider moves in the same jerky manner that the ant moves in. The spider also waves its front legs similar to the movement of the ant's antennae.

290jj2

Jack Jumper Ant, Myrmecia urens. 6mm long.
This ant mimics the appearance and movement of the Jack Jumper ants among which it lives.