The Secret Survival Tactics of Tiny Jumping Spiders.
TL;DR
Researchers have discovered that the colorful jumping spider Siler collingwoodi mimics the walk of ants to evade predators. The spider's "stop-and-go" walking pattern is similar to that of ants, which involves extending its first pair of legs up and forward, essentially mimicking an ant's antenna. The spider also bobbed its abdomen, which is similar to the smaller ant species that were roughly the same size as the spider. The spider relies on a combination of imperfect ant mimicry and coloration camouflage to ward off predators.
- These tiny jumping spiders walk like ants to evade predators Ars Technica
- This Spider Is Imperfect, and That May Be the Secret of Its Survival The New York Times
- This spider pretends to be an ant, but not well enough to avoid being eaten Popular Science
- Watch As Tiny Spider Cheekily Impersonates Ant To Avoid Being Eaten Newsweek
- Beautiful, mysterious creature discovered, but what exactly is it? Earth.com
- View Full Coverage on Google News
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