Jump to content

Myrmarachne exasperans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Myrmarachne exasperans
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Subfamily: Salticinae
Genus: Myrmarachne
Species:
M. exasperans
Binomial name
Myrmarachne exasperans

Myrmarachne exasperans is a species of jumping spider found in southeast Asia.[1] The species which was originally described in Java has also been recorded in Borneo, Palawan (Philippines) Vietnam and Bali, where the largest number of individuals have been recorded.[2]

Mimicry

[edit]

While most species in the genus Myrmarachne mimic ants, M. exasperans is believed to mimic a species of ichneumonid wasp of the genus Goryphus (possibly Goryphus basilaris).[3] Myrmarachne exasperans mimics the ichneumonid wasp in both appearance and behaviour, flicking its front legs and abdomen up and down to mimic the movement of the wasps antennae and wings.[3]

Nest

[edit]

Myrmarachne exasperans nests can be found under medium and large leaves, particularly Heliconia, Ficus, Asplenium nidus and Hibiscus.[3] Unlike nests built by other species of Myrmarachne that comprise solely of silk, M. exasperans decorates the outer layer of its nest with detritus.[3]

Further reading

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Myrmarachne_exasperans". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  2. ^ Hill, David E.; Otto, Jürgen C. (4 September 2015). "Exasperating taxonomy of the colourful ant-mimic Myrmarachne exasperans" (PDF). Peckhamia. 131 (1): 5.
  3. ^ a b c d Hurni-Cranston, Tiziano; Hill, David E. (27 December 2018). "Notes on the jumping spider Myrmarachne exasperans (Araneae: Salticidae: Astioida: Myrmarachnini) in Bali, a possible mimic of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Cryptini: Goryphus)" (PDF). Peckhamia. 176 (1): 26.