Ant spider

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As ants spiders are spiders referred to the shape and color of ants imitate. This is explained as Bates' mimicry , since ants are avoided as prey by numerous non-specialized predators , which also protects the spiders. Also specifically spinnenjagende species, such as the wasps can be fooled like that.

Spiders that imitate ants have a physique that approximates their role model and, in addition, behavior that is often approximated. Since the body of spiders consists of two, that of insects like ants from three body sections ( Tagmata ), the typical constriction (the "wasp waist" of all waist wasps ) is usually simulated by the color. Many keep their foremost pair of legs stretched out forward in order to imitate the antennae they lack . Sometimes other organs such as complex eyes or mandibles are imitated by drawing patterns. Some species do not reproduce ants in general, but rather specific species of ants with which they usually live in close association. Ameine imitators are almost always narrower than related species without the mimicry. They also mimic the jerky running style typical of ants. The protective effect of this garment, known as "myrmekomorph", was confirmed in an experiment. However, not all spiders ( called myrmekophil ) living in close association with ants are also myrmecomorphic.

Many ant-mimicking spiders are predators of the ants they mimic (referred to as Peckham's mimicry). However, since most ants do not have a particularly good optical sense, so to be deceived itself (an exception is about the crab spider only in exceptional cases, the ant Amyciaea forticeps with weaver ants ). Many other mimicking species do not have such a relationship.

The ant spiders include spider species from numerous families, but particularly often from the families of jumping spiders (Salticidae) and bark sac spiders (Corinnidae). In the Central European fauna, for example, the following species are ant spiders:

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entries ant mimicry, ant spider in Matthias Schaefer: Dictionary of Ecology. 5th edition, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg 2012. ISBN 978-3-8274-2561-4
  2. ^ A b c Paula E. Cushing (1997): Myrmecomorphy and Myrmecophily in Spiders: A Review. Florida Entomologist 80 (2): 165-193.
  3. ↑ K. Thaler & B. Knopflach (2004): Fauna Austriaca: Webspinnen - for introduction (Arachnida, Araneae). Denisia 14: 357-380.