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Bicolor Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider Myrmarachne melanocephala

LW Teo
on 27th November 2022

A Bicolor Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider (Myrmarachne melanocephala) was spotted on a sign by the boardwalk at MacRitchie Reservoir Park on 19 September 2022. Lovely mimicry: I thought it was a trap-jaw ant until I took a closer look and counted the legs.

Photo 1: This saltidae spider looks like an ant at first glimpse. The spider is capable of jumping on their prey and escaping their predators.
Photo 2: Two pairs of anterior median eyes are visible at the front of the head. These eyes have telephoto functions. One pair of lateral eyes are visible at the corners of the back of the head. These hind-positioned eyes confer stereoscopic vision.
Photo 3: Dorsal view of Myrmarachne melanocephala.  The chelicerae (jaws) are the pair of enlarged structures at the front of the head.
Photo 4: Spider placed on paper print for size comparison.
Photo 5: The constricted waist (pedicel) is very visible and gives the impression that it is an ant. The cephalothorax, to which the 8 legs are attached, is differentiated into the head and thorax regions in this species.
All photographs by Soh Kam Yung.
MacRitchie Reservoir Park
19 September 2022
Photo captions by Teo Lee Wei.
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If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

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