The newly discovered spider, Mysmena wawuensis, is so incredibly new that these tiny spiders don’t even have a common name yet. Just how new are they? Well, the journal describing this spider species (and another that was found with them) was published May 21, 2013. Yeah, that is about 3 weeks ago. I told you they were newly discovered.
Cool Facts About The Mysmena wawuensis
This particular spider and it’s friend, Trogloneta yuensis, were discovered in the Sichuan and Chongqing regions of China.
These wonderful spiders tend to live in the leaf litter and/or in caves. Interestingly enough, they were actually discovered near the Giant Panda sanctuary – I guess everyone was so distracted with the Pandas that they never thought to look down
The scientific name, Mysmena wawuensis, was named after the Wawu Mountains National Forest Park – the place they call home
What Took So Long To Discover The Mysmena wawuensis?
So how in the world did researchers miss this spider for so long? I mean, sure they were probably admiring the cute Panda Bears doing their thing but you have to get bored of watching them at some point, right. Actually, you probably wouldn’t but still, how could it take this long?
What if I told you that the Mysmena wawuensis has an average length of 0.75 mm (0.02″) and normally hangs out in the crevices of caves. This would definitely add to the difficulty of finding these incredibly tiny creatures. As a side note, isn’t it nice knowing that these new spiders are so small? It is way better than learning that researchers just discovered a 4 foot spider (for the record, a 4 foot spider does not exist…at least not that I know of).
How Do You Find a Miniature Spider?
My next question is how did they even discover this crazy small spider? Well, according to an arachnologist at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands, Jeremy Miller, “the best way to find these tiny spiders is to look for their webs”. He goes on to mention that you can dust the area with corn starch as the starch will stick to the tiny spider web filaments making it much easier to notice. How about that? We now have a tactic for identifying minature spider webs. Now don’t go spending all of your free time looking for miniature spiders such as the Mysmena wawuensis.
A large spider ranging in size from 1.3 to 9 cm long, the Baboon Spider is so named because its last two leg segments curiously resemble the finger of a baboon
The rest of their body is hairy and usually varies in colour from brown to grey or from yellow to black
The Baboon Spider belongs to the family Theraphosidae–a family so large it has over 612 species worldwide!
Some members of this species are known to be venomous and may bite unfortunate humans, the results of which are unpleasant but not fatal.
Baboon Spiders are easy to take care of and have become a huge hit in the pet industry. As result, despite hatching so many spiders simultaneously, Baboon Spiders have been classified as Commercially Threatened by the IUCN.
A Silky Trap
The Baboon Spiders are usually found in a variety of habitats, including dry scrublands and savannah woodlands. These particular spiders are ground dwelling and spend their time in burrows constructed of silk, which play an important role in capturing the Spider’s prey. When they are constructing their burrows, Baboon Spiders extend the silk web past their entrance way, which helps alert them of approaching prey. The ill-fated victims of this cunning trap include insects like ants, beetles, and cicadas as well as invertebrates, such as scorpions, spiders, and millipedes. Occasionally, they may even feast on amphibians and reptiles like frogs and lizards.
Photo by Galak76 (Wikipedia)
Welcome To Baboon Spider City
In the wild, Baboon Spiders can live up to 25 years with most species reaching sexual maturity at age 10. Aside from their long life span, Baboon Spiders also have an interesting dispersal method. When newly hatched spiders begin their life journey, they stay close to home. Normally, they walk until they find a suitable patch of land where they can create their own burrow, and frequently, this patch will be within a short distance of their mother’s burrow. In some cases, Baboon Spiders have formed as many as 106 burrows in an 80 square meter section, thus forming a densely packed city of spiders.
The Green Lynx Spider has a bright, translucent green coloured body with red spots, which help the Spider blend into its environment
Although they do not build webs, they will spin a silk dragline as they hunt between leaves of plants
The Green Lynx Spider is unique since they are capable of slowly changing their colour to properly match the vegetation on which they live
The Cat-Like Spider
Unlike most other spiders, the Green Lynx Spider does not build webs to capture its prey. Instead, they prefer to hunt in bushes and plants and will occasionally lie in wait to ambush their unsuspecting prey. In fact, they may derive the “Lynx” portion of their name from their unique ability to pounce prey in the same fashion as the famous cat.
Because they do not build webs to trap prey, the Green Lynx Spider must have incredible eyesight and accompanying dexterity to ambush potential food sources. As insects fly by these Spiders, they leap into the air to catch their meal. These clever spiders are known to camp near beautiful flowers. As insects arrive to pollinate the flower, the Green Lynx Spider uses its speed and agility to pounce on the unsuspecting prey.
Photo by Coveredinsevindust (Wikipedia)
Since this particular spider is a plant dweller, they do not pose much of a risk to humans; however, they may bite if accidentally disrupted. Aside from pain and swelling, their bites are harmless to humans.
Orange Eggs and Ham
The female Green Lynx Spider will create one to four 2 cm long egg sacs, containing between 25 to 600 bright orange eggs. Once the eggs are secured in the egg sac, the mother will hang directly above the sac while hugging it with her legs. This position allows her to guard and valiantly protect her egg sac against any potential predators. Hatching in approximately two weeks, the eggs produce fully functional spiders, which emerge from the sac in an additional two weeks. After leaving the safety of the sac, these newborn spiders must now hunt and fend for themselves. I guess they don’t really ease them into real life, now do they?
Yes, the colour of the Cobalt Blue Tarantula is actually a greyish-blue. This probably doesn’t make the spider more lovable but it definitely doesn’t hurt
This Old World Tarantula is native to the tropical forests of southeast Asia including Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and the beautiful Cambodia
As with any weird animal there are people that want to collect them and the Cobalt Blue Tarantula is not an exception. They have become popular in the pet trade as a result of their stunning colour but only experienced spider handlers should mess with this aggressive tarantula
A Venomous Bite
Over the years, we have learned that brightly coloured animals are typically poisonous. So can the venom of the Cobalt Blue Tarantula be deadly. This all depends on who is asking. If you are an insect, a mouse, a frog or some obscure arthropod then yes, their venom will paralyze you just long enough for the Blue Tarantula to have its feast. Now if you are a human (and if you are reading this blog, I think it is safe to say that you are indeed a human – if not send me a message as I would like to learn more), the toxin is mostly harmless unless you have allergy. But don’t think for a second that a bit from one of these tarantula’s isn’t going to be incredibly painful and extremely irritated. I recommend leaving any big, furry, blue spiders alone.
Click for photo source
Why Humans Should Moult
So how do these spiders keep such a vibrant coat? Well the secret to a nice blue coat is moulting. The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is known to moult 2 to 4 times per year until it reaches maturity. After this it will only moult once or twice a year. This extensive moulting process allows them to retain the beautiful, blue colour and, believe it or not, regenerate any missing or damaged limbs. How cool would if humans could moult every year to repair any broken bones or to get the colour back in your hair.
Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, it is rare to see the Cobalt Blue Tarantula in their natural environment.
The Anelosimus eximius may be one of the most social spiders on the planet – this isn’t something you want to hear if you hate spiders
What is worse than a social spider? How about raining spiders…yes, these spiders have been in the news lately as they are literally falling out of the sky
These small spiders are predatory and generally take down much larger prey, including beetles, cockroaches and grasshoppers
One Big, Happy Family
As mentioned, the Anelosimus eximius may be the most social spider in the world. Why do I say that? Well for starters, most spiders are typically, angry, aggressive and solitary creatures, whereas this particular species has been known to form communities as in the tens of thousands. Yes, you read that right, literally thousands of spiders! Personally, I think I like the angry, solitary spiders way, way better but maybe that is just me. These large social groups are composed of several generations and all live in the same communal nest, which is obviously incredibly large. As you can imagine 1000′s of spiders tends to put a lot of weight and pressure on the silk-wooven web, which means repairs often need to be completed. Sometimes, the entire web will come crashing down under the weight of its inhabitants.
Spider Rain
When the nest of this gigantic spider colony comes crashing down, either by the sheer weight it was trying to hold or by a strong, hurricane-like wind (which was the culprit in Brazil), it results in a creepy and crazy phenomenon known as Spider Rain. Yes, it is actually possible for thousands of spiders to fall from the sky like large, creepy, raindrops. Just imagine coming out of your house, looking up and seeing THOUSANDS of spiders slowly floating down to earth (they use their webs as little parachutes). In order to help you picture this, I am going to show you a video that was recently shot in Brazil – it is an awesome clip but I am definitely happy I wasn’t there that day.
It is important to note that some entomologists (also known as insect biologists) believe this to be a different type of spider but until it is proven, I am sticking with the assumption that they are actually the Anelosimus eximius.
There is a species of Trapdoor Spider named after US President Barack Obama (Aptostichus barackobamai) and another species named after U2 singer, Bono (Aptostichus bonoi) - I am still waiting for them to name one after me
This particular spider just happens to be in the same suborder as the famous (and scary) Tarantula – just imagine what those family reunions are like
The Trapdoor Spider usually has something that looks like a “barb” on each of their fangs, which is used for digging and gathering soil
Why Would the Trapdoor Spider Need to Dig?
Unlike many other spiders, the Trapdoor Spider likes to build burrows and certain species will often build a trapdoor tunnel. What in the world is a “trapdoor tunnel”? Well, it is a tunnel that has a trapdoor at the top. Okay, that may seem like a pretty obvious definition so let me explain how this spider utilizes this tricky trapdoor contraption. You see, this spider doesn’t like to capture their prey with an elaborate spider web. No, they are for more creative. Instead, they build a chamber that has a camouflaged “trapdoor” at the top – interestingly, they actually use their silk to build hinges for this door, pretty clever!
When our featured spider is hungry it will hide behind this disguised door, holding onto it with their fangs, and wait patiently for an unsuspecting insect or other arthropod to trigger one of the silk warning lines set up around the door. Once the prey has been detected, the Trapdoor Spider will bolt out from their tunnel, grab the prey and drag it back inside for a tasty snack. Personally, I think this is way cooler than just setting up a web and waiting.
Click for photo source
A Vicious Predator
Even though, these spiders seem scary and spend a lot of their time hidden behind their trapdoor, they still need to be on the lookout for predators. Spider Wasps are particularly vicious and will often seek out Trapdoor Spiders. Typically, this wasp will sting the unsuspecting home owner and then lay a single egg inside of them. Unfortunately when that egg hatches, the beast that is born will eat their spider host alive. I guess this just goes to show that you really can’t hide - hmmm, maybe the Trapdoor Spider should take up running instead because clearly “You can run but you can’t hide”.
The Tree Stump Spider is also known as the Two-Tailed Spider as a result of their two web spinning mechanisms
Believe it or not there are over 150 different Tree Stump Spider species, which means there are A LOT of creepy looking spider in this world of ours
Luckily these spiders are not that large with a length ranging between 10 mm (0.4 in) and 18 mm (0.7 in) – I guess this just makes it more difficult to spot them so is this really better?
As you may have guessed the Tree Stump Spider gets its name from their strong resemblance to tree stumps, which allows them to be hidden in plain sight
The Tree Stump Spider Feeding Frenzy
Unlike regular ol’ spiders the Tree Stump variety doesn’t build a normal web hoping for unsuspecting flies to get tangled in. Nope, these sneaky little spiders will create a very small layer of webs over the tree bark (this layer is so light that it is practically invisible). Then our well camouflaged predator will simply sit and wait in plain sight. When a helpless insect wanders onto this well concealed patch of web, the Tree Stump Spider will circle the prey using their two spinners to completely engulf the soon-to-be lunch. Once our “villain” is done coating their snack with webbing, they will start chewing through the web and devour the insect. It may sound cruel but you have to give the little spider props for being innovative, right?
Click for Photo Source
Where In The World Is The Tree Stump Spider
If you want to catch a glimpse of this intriguing member of the Jumping Spider family then you will need to take a trip to….pretty much anywhere in the world. The only exceptions include northern North America and northern Europe and Russia. You may have guessed that these spiders are tropical and sub-tropical species so they don’t like the cold too much – When it comes to creepy spiders, I am okay that they don’t live in Canada. So if you happen to live in their distribution range, you will need to start looking at all the trees as these spiders typically hang out on the bark of tree trunks, which makes sense since that is what the are camouflaged to do. Other places you could find them include fence posts, outside building walls and quite often inside your house (did I mention that I am happy in live in Canada).
If you have had the opportunity to see one of these amazing spiders, please let us know what you thought of them in the comments below or on the Wild Facts Facebook Page. We would love to hear your opinions.
The Peacock Spider is also known as the Gliding Spider and just happens to be a type of jumping spider
The unique colouring of these arachnids are quite spectacular (also the reason for their common name), however, it is only the males that possess this colourful beauty
While these spiders are amazing, they are also very small and can in fact fit on your fingernail, so there is no reason to be afraid of them…or is there?
Are Peacock Spiders Poisonous?
If there is one thing we have learned over the last 870 Wild Facts it is that animals are brightly coloured for a reason…usually as a warning mechanism. Is that the case with the Peacock Spider? Nah, they are brightly coloured for another reason, to impress the ladies. As mentioned, it is only the males that have the fashionable wardrobe and my goodness they know how to use it to get the female spiders attention. When you think of Peacocks, you typically think of colourful, show-boats and let me tell you, the Peacock Spider is no different. Believe it or not, the males have two flaps on their abdomen which they use exclusively for putting on a show. These tiny spiders will do all sorts of tricks with these colourful flaps with the hope of catching the eye of that one lucky lady.
Video of the Peacock Spider Display
Instead of just describing the amazing courtship behaviour, I thought it would be best to show you a short clip of the male in action. Enjoy!
Sure the music was a little obnoxious but you have to be a slightly impressed with this tiny spiders colourful dance moves.
Click for Photo Soruce
Where In The World?
So just where in the world can you find the amazing Peacock Spider? Well, this particular arachnid can only be found throughout parts of eastern Australia (Queensland and New South Wales). Although they can be found throughout much of their forested habitat in their limited range, these little spiders can be very tough to spot. In fact, the entomologist (aka: bug biologist) who discovered this unique species had a lot of difficulty finding them after his initial discover. But I guess this is to be expected when the specimen you are searching for is only a mere 5 mm (2″) in length. It pays to have a sharp eye if you are in the field of studying insects. Do you have a keen eye?
You may be asking yourself why a scary spider needs to imitate a harmless ant? Well, in the animal kingdom the ant is known for being a ferocious, aggressive animal that usually travels in large gangs (not to mention how strong they are for their size). Therefore, many creatures will try to imitate them in order to dissuade predators from feasting on them. In my opinion, the Black-Footed Ant Spider is one of the best ant imitators out there.
Why is the Black-Footed Ant Spider the best Ant Imitator?
Not only do these unique spiders look like ants but they go the extra mile by acting like ants. Unlike other spiders, this particular species is known to live within a large community of interconnected silk-woven nests. As mentioned, these groups can consist of hundreds of spiders, however, when these spiders travel, they will usually just take a small posse with them. Apparently, even large communities of Ant Spiders have cliques and different social circles.
Wouldn’t You Mimic Atom Ant?
Benefits of Mimicking an Ant
The two main reasons the Black-Footed Ant Spider mimics ants are for defence and predatory reasons. These may sound conflicting but let me explain. First, the main predator for the Black-Footed Ant Spider would typically be other spiders; however, these other spiders don’t usually feast on ants. Again, the reasoning for this is the aggressive nature and potentially bad taste they leave in the mouths of the attackers. By doing such an amazing job mimicking an ant species, this spider avoided being hunted down by other spiders.
But, the Black-Footed Ant Spider takes it one step further and uses its disguise for evil. Yes, this species of jumping spider will use their disguise to raid the nests of other spiders. Usually, the eggs (and babies) of other spiders are protected in a nice silky-web, however, these “ants” are actually spiders so they have no problem navigating through the nest to feast on the young. And, since they look like harmless ants, they are usually able to slip by the protective parents without any issues. The real kicker of all this are the nests the Black-Footed Ant Spider are robbing are the same nests that belong to their would-be predators. I am not sure if this is just mean or incredibly clever but I guess all is fair in love and war!
If you are not a fan of spiders, you may want to skip over today’s Wild Fact. Although, if you love interesting facts about a spider that create webs 10 times stronger than kevlar, keep reading. The Darwin’s Bark Spider is a fairly new species as they were only discovered in 2009 on the naturally diverse island of Madagascar. I am curious how a spider that builds some of the largest webs on the planet went undiscovered for so long. The good news is they have been found and interestingly enough these animals were described exactly 150 years to the date after the publication of Charles Darwin’s famous book, The Origin of Species. In honour of the famous naturalist, current researchers decided to name this fascinating spider after him.
Photo by Matjaz Kuntner
One Large Spider Web
Let’s start with the most interesting aspect of the Darwin’s Bark Spider…their unbelievably large and equally strong spider web. You know how uncomfortable it is when you walk through a normal spider web and you are pulling the threads from your hair, well walking into this spider web would be much worse. It almost scares me to think that you could probably get trapped in this web. The web of this newly discovered spider has a bridge lines reaching over 25 m (82 feet) long and an overall surface area of 2.8 square meters (30 square feet). Even scarier than the size of this web is the fact that if you get caught, it won’t be easy to escape.
The Strongest Biological Material
That’s right, the web of the Darwin’s Bark Spider is the strongest biological material on earth (that we have discovered to date). As mentioned it is roughly 10 times stronger than a piece of kevlar and roughly 2.5 times stronger than other spider webs. I am not sure why this spider has evolved such large, strong webs but I can guarantee you they will provide researchers with hours of enjoyment as we learn everything we can from the properties of their webs. Who knows, it may not be long before Police Officers are wearing bullet-proof vests created from a Darwin’s Bark Spider web.
Darwin’s Bark Spider Fast Fact
With a web this large, you may be wondering just how big this spider is. Unbelievably, the Darwin’s Bark Spider is only about 2 cm (1 inch) in length with the males being smaller than this. I guess these small orb-weaver spiders just like to do great things. It doesn’t matter how small you are…you can always do big things with your life.
Welcome to my ongoing project to provide you with 1000 Animal Facts. Every week-day I will provide a new and interesting animal fact counting down from 1000. My goal is to hopefully educate the young and old alike about the interesting adaptations of the animal kingdom. As well, I am hoping people will gain a greater appreciation of the animals we share earth with. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Contact form or leave a comment.
So how in the world did researchers miss this spider for so long? I mean, sure they were probably admiring the cute Panda Bears doing their thing but you have to get bored of watching them at some point, right. Actually, you probably wouldn’t but still, how could it take this long?
