That's right. It's a spider disguised as a pile of glistening poo. Does it get much better than that?
You're staring at a fascinating bit of camouflage. The bird dung crab spider (Phrynarachne sp.) not only looks like bird poo, but also acts like it (which involves little more than sitting still). But that's not all. They'll even sometimes spin a little patch of white silk for it to lay on, in mimicry of the white goo of bird guano.
But there's still more.
Some species of Phrynarachne even emit a smell that resembles feces or urine. All these factors allow for great opportunities to eat flies.
I wonder how I can dress and smell to attract pizzas...
Thanks for the great photos, Darren5907
I just threw up a little in my mouth.
ReplyDeleteThat is the most digusting spider ever. I cannot stress how much flailing and screaming I'd be doing if I ever saw it.
Awesome!
ReplyDeleteI thought that was some sort of food item at first. Like, fried spider. I dunno what that says about my taste in food.
ReplyDeleteOK I like just about everything, but EW that thing is GROSS.... I mean, EW!!!
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, perhaps the only spider in existence that doesn't scare me? Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteIt's either a bird dung crab spider or a Clif bar crab spider.
ReplyDeleteYou can even see the little pieces of corn!
ReplyDeleteWhat's funniest to me about this here spider (ha-ha and eh funny) is that the face of this spider is the most human I have ever seen. Maybe it's her little brow bones.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty darn neat. Never even knew something like that existed heh.
ReplyDeleteHey.. rock on spider, anything to kill pesky flies is A-OK in my book.
If the greatest minds gathered to brainstorm about the perfect Ugly Overload beastie, I doubt you could improve on "spider disguised as feces".
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with yo on this one, James.
ReplyDeletei heared about that spider and jumped and then i look at it again and i shivered then i read about it a luagh PPPOOOO!!! no-way!
ReplyDelete