Ant mimic salticid for ID

Africa · #1 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011, 07:15 PM

I only realised this was a spider after checking the photo. Initially I thought it was a weird looking ant. The two frontal pair of legs are very large and kept forward. It ran really fast, I could only stop if by lettin it settle under my fingers and then slowly lifting my hand. After a few seconds, it started running for its life again. In Roberts guide of spiders it resembles most Synageles venator. Location: Hull, size, like a Lanius niger ant. These are the only photos.

frits_b · #2 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011, 07:37 PM

Check out Micaria pulicaria (Gnaphosidae). Looks similar, or at least related.

Africa · #3 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011, 09:59 PM

Thank you Frits. I hadn't thought there could be more families of spiders that practice ant mimicry. I was checking in Wikipedia and there are no less than 12 families including ant mimics. I can't find more detailed info on this particular genus other than it seems to be often be found running with a potential mimic (mine did too, lots of Lanius running about). I assume they actually prey on ants. I will keep checking. This is fascinating stuff. Do you think it is a male? As for the particular species, I fail to see any white dots in the midline of the abdomen which seems to the the thing that tells pulicaria apart from others.

Africa · #4 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011, 10:14 PM

Could it be Micaria subopaca?

frits_b · #5 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011, 10:23 PM

I don't think so; M. subopaca doesn't have the continuous white line across the abdomen.
It's hard to see if it's a male; the first picture seems to show a hint of the swollen pedipalps (suggesting a male indeed).