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Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PLEASE
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 6:25 pm
by Hans Breuer (twoton)
(Disclaimer: Yes, there's an invertebrate forum. But for ID reasons, I wanted to reach as many people as possible. Thanks in advance for being gentle)
If I hadn't bumped my face into this inch-long beast when I walked along the trail above which it was hanging, I doubt I'd ever found one in a million years. Even in the small, leaf litter-filled terrarium where I kept it until the photoshoot, it would have been almost impossible to find. Luckily, it had a habit of hanging suspended and curled up from the tank lid. Note the perfectly emulated bumps and knobs on the "tail". Every time I look at these pictures, a huge, bright neon sign saying
WTFFFF??? flashes in my brain...
Now.....what species is this? I don't think it's a scorpion-tailed spider. I found it in a lowland forest park in the city of Kuching, Southwest Sarawak.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: It seems to be a Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Heurodes porculus). Why would anyone call a spider "Little Pig"??
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 9:10 pm
by The Real Snake Man
WOW. That may be the most amazing spider I've ever seen. I am, however, sorry to report that I am probably more clueless as to its identity than anyone else on this forum. But it's an incredible animal!
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 9:51 pm
by John Martin
^^^ What he said!
Nice one Hans, that is extra cool...
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 10:49 pm
by Hans Breuer (twoton)
Thanks for the kind words! It's a Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Heurodes porculus)
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 11:29 pm
by Rags
'Borneo - Home of the Weird'
Nice find Hans.
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 11:33 pm
by Hans Breuer (twoton)
Rags wrote:'Borneo - Home of the Weird'
That's why I live here
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 11:38 pm
by Ruxs
Orb Weavers have taken it too far this time...
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 21st, 2013, 11:41 pm
by Hans Breuer (twoton)
Ruxs wrote:Orb Weavers have taken it too far this time...
LOL!
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 22nd, 2013, 6:42 am
by walk-about
That is an amazing little arachnid. WOW! Neat post for sure.
RocK ON!
Dave
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 22nd, 2013, 9:25 am
by Tom
Spectacular Hans.
This is a find from my trip to Borneo in 2009. Found in Sabah, a little way from Kota Kinabalu. It appears to be a species of
Arachnura or
Poltys (that was the genus last time I looked), but I've never been able to pin the species down, nor seen a photo of anything truly similar - any chance you could ask the same guy who identified yours?!
I really wish I'd brought it back with me in alcohol.
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 22nd, 2013, 10:14 am
by Hans Breuer (twoton)
I'm on it, Tom!
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 22nd, 2013, 2:36 pm
by Berkeley Boone
Yall need to quit photoshoppin' these 'spiders' and making them up!
For real though, those are INSANE looking! Aweosme pictures, both Hans and Tom!
--Berkeley
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 22nd, 2013, 11:02 pm
by moloch
Wow, Hans, that was the most bizarre spider that I have ever seen in a photo! What an incredible creature. You certainly do live in a wonderful place.
Regards,
David
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 23rd, 2013, 2:35 am
by krisbell
Woah!!! Has he sequestered a piece of dried up leaf/twig or has it actually dedicated over half its body mass to mimicry?! Incredible.
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 23rd, 2013, 8:15 am
by Hans Breuer (twoton)
krisbell wrote:Woah!!! Has he sequestered a piece of dried up leaf/twig or has it actually dedicated over half its body mass to mimicry?!.
The latter. I"ll put it back in the forest tomorrow, in a place where it can make a nice web, in the hope I'll be able to find it again at will....
Next up: photos of a leaf-mimicking katydid the size of a small rat...roadcruised tonight.
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 26th, 2013, 6:04 am
by Hans Breuer (twoton)
As promised: the next
Monster Bug.
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 27th, 2013, 1:24 am
by Robyn@TRR
That is friggin amazing.
Re: Borneo Dispatches #65: IMS (Insane Mimicry Spider) ID PL
Posted: February 27th, 2013, 11:28 am
by Zach_Lim
More reasons why spiders are vile and nasty creatures haha! Nature's tricksters!