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Project Noah Nature School
A perfectly camouflaged large Acantheis spider on the moss and lichen covered tree trunk. The tufts of hairs at the sides of its abdomen and limbs helps to break its outline to blend it better in its environment. Size about 10 - 20mm length. The last picture is a cropped photo showing 4 large eyes which might suggest it as a Ctenidae.
"chinstrap"
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On tree barks that contain layers of green moss and lichens along the forest trail in Tawau Hills Park, Tawau, Sabah.
>>>Map accuracy: 100m diameter. Spotted this during a night walk with Dan. Special thanks to NickyBay for the ID.
Same species in the same area (probably around the same time) photographed by Nicky Bay
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nickadel/1...
Thank you Zariga.
If I photograph it during the day, it would be much more tougher to see :-)
My tired eyes weren't able to find the spider on the first picture yesterday night. I see it perfectly now!
Amazing spotting! Such beautiful and odd creature.
Thanks for the suggestion, LeonardoMB
but I don't think there is enough to confirm that this is a Pandercetes gracilis.
I have posted these photos at a Arachnid forum.
One of the experts there suggested that it is a Pisaurid which I have also suspected it to be. Though Pisaurids (Nursery Web Spider) are commonly found near water bodies, the Pisauridae spiders in the jungle of Tawau Hills Park can be found camouflaging high up on dipterocarp tree trunks.
Thank you very much everyone.
@Mark, glad you have noticed it. I have just uploaded it a couple of days ago to make identification easier with the close up of the head and eyes.
@Stephen, your family ID suggestions have a good eye match. It really is difficult to determine it's family.
Great capture Chun,amazing mimetic one,at first it seems realy a moss:-)
Very cool,congrats on the SOTW and thanks for sharing
Congratulations Chun! Truly amazing! You're so lucky u live in Borneo :)
It looks like HERSILIIDAE although with that beautiful camouflage it is a difficult one. Also maybe something like ZORIDAE.
Thank you all for your wonderful comments and favorites.
I am glad you all liked this spider :-)
Congrats Chun, your perfectly camouflaged spider is our Rangers’ choice Spotting of the Week! The tufts of hairs covering this spider's abdomen and legs help it to blend into a mossy tree trunk.
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Spotted on Jan 23, 2014
Submitted on Apr 6, 2014
