- Source: Cosmophasis
Cosmophasis is a genus of spiders in the family Salticidae (jumping spiders). They are predominantly Southeast Asian, while some species occur in Africa and Australia. Although most species more or less mimic ants, there are also colorful species that follow a different strategy.
C. bitaeniata uses chemical mimicry to be accepted by the aggressive weaver ant species Oecophylla smaragdina.
One species, said to be not a particularly good ant mimic, was observed living near and preying on ants. According to (Murphy & Murphy, 2000), "to watch the spider stalking and killing its prey is an arachnological spectacular".
Description
Species in this genus are from 3.80 to 8.00 mm long. The cephalothoraxes are pear-shaped(for some males) or rectangular.
Taxonomy
As of November 2021, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species:
In 2012, Marek Żabka and Julianne Waldock proposed 5 new species groups, it being the C.thalassina species group, C. bitaeniata species group, C. micarioides species group, C. tristriatus species group, and the C. rakata species group.
Formerly placed in this genus include:
Cosmophasis australis Simon, 1902 → Phintella australis
Cosmophasis caerulea Simon, 1901 → Mexcala caerulea
Cosmophasis fagei Lessert, 1925 → Icius fagei
Cosmophasis nigrocyanea (Simon, 1885) → Mexcala nigrocyanea
Cosmophasis quadrimaculata Lawrence, 1942 → Mexcala quadrimaculata
Cosmophasis longiventris Simon, 1903 → Chrysilla lauta
References
Further reading
Allan, R.A. & Elgar, M.A. (2001): Exploitation of the green tree ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, by the salticid spider Cosmophasis bitaeniata. Australian Journal of Zoology 49: 129–137.
Allan, R.A., Capon, R.J., Brown, W.V. & Elgar, M.A. (2002): Mimicry of host cuticular hydrocarbons by salticid spider Cosmophasis bitaeniata that preys on larvae of tree ants Oecophylla smaragdina. Journal of Chemical Ecology 28: 835–848. doi:10.1023/A:1015249012493
Elgar, M.A. & Allan, R.A. (2006): Chemical mimicry of the ant Oecophylla smaragdina by the myrmecophilous spider Cosmophasis bitaeniata: Is it colony-specific? Journal of Ethology 24(3): 239-246. doi:10.1007/s10164-005-0188-9
External links
Photograph of Cosmophasis sp. Archived 2006-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
Photograph of C. micarioides Archived 2006-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
Photograph of C. rubra Archived 2009-02-27 at the Wayback Machine
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Cosmophasis psittacina
- Cosmophasis masarangi
- Cosmophasis quadricincta
- Cosmophasis longiventris
- Cosmophasis monacha
- Cosmophasis depilata
- Cosmophasis chlorophthalma
- Cosmophasis micans
- Cosmophasis micarioides
- Cosmophasis bitaeniata
- Cosmophasis
- Cosmophasis umbratica
- Cosmophasis lami
- Cosmophasis micarioides
- Cosmophasis bitaeniata
- Cosmophasis olorina
- Cosmophasis micans
- Cosmophasis albipes
- Cosmophasis thalassina
- Cosmophasis squamata
