In order to avoid spider-loving
predators, the jumping spider Myrmarachne formicaria has evolved to
look like an ant. But a new study suggests it has learned to walk like an ant,
too. The arachnid walks back and forth in a winding wave motion that looks
like an ant following a trail, researchers report today in
the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Scientists previously thought that
these antlike spiders don’t use their front legs at all when walking,
constantly raising them up as pantomime antennae. However, when viewed in slow
motion with a high-speed camera, the spiders move using all eight legs, only
raising their forelimbs whenever they take a pause. These pauses appear to be
consistently spaced out and timed just long enough to cement the antennae
illusion for any predators that may be watching.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
You only need to enter your comment once! Comments will appear once they have been moderated. This is so as to stop the would-be comedian who has been spamming the comments here with inane and often offensive remarks. You know who you are!