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An Enemy in the Ranks

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Image of the Week #28, January 30th, 2012:

From:An Enemy in the Ranks by Alex Wild at Compound Eye


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Source:Alex Wild Photography

The rear end of the ant-mimic crab spider Amyciaea albomaculata has two black spots that are spaced so they could easily be mistaken for the eyes of the weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina. The spider uses this disguise to hide in plain day and pick off unsuspecting ants who venture too close. Photographer and entomologist Alex Wild captures this behavior in a stunning photo essay he took while in Australia.