Ant mimic A male jumping ant spider (Myrmarachne formicaria) disguised as an ant on a leaf. Its unusual, modified body resembles that of an ant, and the spider conceals two of its eight legs by raising them like antennae. (more) jumping ant spider arachnid Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/jumping-ant-spider Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Myrmarachne formicaria, ant mimic jumping spider Written by Sanat Pai Raikar Sanat Pai Raikar is a quizmaster and writer based out of Bangalore, India. His first quiz book, Three's A Quiz, was written from memory. Sanat has cofounded Quizarre, which provides quiz, crossword,... Sanat Pai Raikar, Melissa Petruzzello Melissa Petruzzello is Assistant Managing Editor and covers a range of content including plants, algae, and fungi; insects and spiders; and renewable energy and environmental engineering. She also handles... Melissa Petruzzello•All Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Feb 20, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Also called: ant mimic jumping spider (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the jumping ant spider known for? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The jumping ant spider is known for mimicking a redwood ant in appearance and behavior to escape predators." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Where is the jumping ant spider native to? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The jumping ant spider is native to grasslands in temperate regions of Eurasia." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What does the jumping ant spider typically eat? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The jumping ant spider typically eats small arthropods, especially moths, and the eggs of other spiders. It is not known to prey on ants." } } ] } Top Questions What is the jumping ant spider known for? The jumping ant spider is known for mimicking a redwood ant in appearance and behavior to escape predators.
Where is the jumping ant spider native to? The jumping ant spider is native to grasslands in temperate regions of Eurasia.
What does the jumping ant spider typically eat? The jumping ant spider typically eats small arthropods, especially moths, and the eggs of other spiders. It is not known to prey on ants.
jumping ant spider, (Myrmarachne formicaria), species of jumping spider that mimics a redwood ant (Formica rufa) in both appearance and behavior to escape predators. The spider is native to grasslands in temperate regions of Eurasia, and has been accidentally introduced to parts of the eastern United States and Canada. Its genus name, Myrmarachne, is formed of the Greek words myrmex and arachne, which mean ant and spider, respectively. The species name, formicaria, means antlike. Several other spiders in the Myrmarachne genus are also ant mimics. Taxonomy See also list of arachnids. Like all spiders, the jumping ant spider has a ...(100 of 430 words)
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