This spider builds creepy decoys that look just like itself
This species was discovered at Tambopata Research Centre in the Peruvian Amazon, belonging to the genus Cyclosa.
From afar, it will appear to be a small-sized spider that is possibly dead and hanging on the web, but as you move closer to this, the spider quickly starts to wobble, letting you know that this spider is, in fact, very much alive.
Let's dive in
We can call it the 'decoy spider' in a sense. If you are wondering how they build those decoys, they use a specialized silk strand, which is called stabilimenta, in a symmetrical form that makes it look exactly like a larger spider hanging on the web.
Cyclosa can make the debris look a bit like a spider, but not nearly as detailed as the spiders (original) found at this research center. There were almost 25 spiders found in one floodplain area surrounding this Amazon jungle lodge, indicating that they have a very limited range.
It was discovered in Peru in 2012 by entomologist Phil Torres, and around the same time, a similar spider was found in the Philippines by researcher Reeves.
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Through its decoys, both had different shapes, and both discoveries were made independently and were shared later. These discoveries are significant, as such detailed decoy behavior had not been recorded before; it is shocking to think that such a magnificent phenomenon went unnoticed for so long.
Does evolution explain this phenomenon?
Over time, spiders have developed the ability to construct decoys that likely had higher chances of survival, especially in the Amazon forests, where everyone is prey to the other. Predators such as birds or wasps may attack the decoy instead of the actual spider, allowing the real spider to escape. This phenomenon right here is called selective advantage. There is one thing to highlight, though: the Peruvian decoy spider appears to have a restricted habitat, possibly due to specialized environmental needs that shaped this rare behavior.
As we continue to study this magical species, they remind us of the endless ingenuity found in nature and the endless possibilities of life.
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