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Alexander Dudley | all galleries >> Australian Invertebrates >> Australian Spiders > Ant Slayer Spider Euryopis umbilicata
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04-OCT-2006 İAlexander Dudley 2006

Ant Slayer Spider Euryopis umbilicata

Cataract Dam, NSW Australia

I found seven specimens of this species of spider on Scribbly gums and each spider appeared to have caught a Sugar ant of the genus Campanotus. Given the similarity in colour between the spider and her prey, and the fact that I found so many on different trees I conclude that this spider might be a specialist. Bad news for Sugar ants. I wonder if eating too many sugar ants is bad for the spider's mandibles?
Turns out the species IS an ant specialist and high-speed footage shows the spider literally somersaults over its prey to catch it.


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Guest 25-Aug-2007 20:24
Great caption! Too many sugar ants bad for its mandibles! HA! I laugh!