Slender Ant-mimicking Jumping Spider – Mascot Candidate for 2027

Synemosyna formica

Mimicry

Ants fiercely defend themselves through biting, stinging, and attacking in masses. Spiders have no chemical defense and are solitary. Thus, the Slender ant mimicking jumping spider tries its best to look like an ant to benefit from the fear other predators have of ants.

The cephalothorax of the spider features a sharp downward slope to mimic an ant's head and thorax. The abdomen of the spider is slender and features a constriction at the top of the abdomen to mimic the shape of ants.

Quick Facts

• Found in the Eastern half of the U.S. and parts of Canada
• Typically found in bushes and tall grass near the real ants they aim to mimic
• They hold their front legs forward to mimic the ant's antenna
• They walk in winding patterns to mimic an ant following a chemical trail