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Amyciaea
Thousand Hands (Spider).jpg
Amyciaea lineatipes
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Thomisidae
Genus: Amyciaea
Simon, 1885
Type species
A. forticeps
Species

5, see text

Amyciaea is a fascinating group of spiders, often called "crab spiders." They are famous for their amazing ability to pretend to be ants! This trick helps them hunt their favorite food: weaver ants.

These spiders were first described by a scientist named Eugène Louis Simon in 1885.

Amyciaea: The Ant-Mimicking Spiders

Amyciaea spiders are masters of disguise. They look and act like ants, especially weaver ants. This special skill is called ant mimicry. It means they copy the appearance and behavior of ants to trick other animals.

Why Do They Mimic Ants?

There are two main reasons why Amyciaea spiders mimic ants:

  • Hunting: By looking like an ant, the spider can get very close to real ants without scaring them away. This makes it easier for the spider to catch and eat its preferred prey, the weaver ants.
  • Protection: Many animals, like birds or lizards, avoid eating ants because ants can sting or bite. By looking like an ant, the Amyciaea spider can fool predators into thinking it's a dangerous ant, keeping itself safe.

Where Do They Live?

As of June 2020, there are five known species of Amyciaea spiders. They live in different parts of the world, including:

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Oceania (like Australia and New Guinea)

Known Species

Here are the five recognized species of Amyciaea:

  • Amyciaea albomaculata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874) – Found in Australia and New Guinea.
  • Amyciaea forticeps (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873) – This is the type species for the group. It lives in India, China, and Malaysia.
  • Amyciaea hesperia Simon, 1895 – Found in Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast in Africa.
  • Amyciaea lineatipes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901 – Lives in Singapore and Indonesia (specifically on the island of Sumatra).
  • Amyciaea orientalis Simon, 1909 – Found in Vietnam.
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