Ant-mimicking spider

Fact Box Species: Damoetas nitidus (QM) (or a closely related species) Family: Salticidae Body length: female: about 5 mm male: about 4.5 mm Habitat: This species will most often be found by shaking green shrubs, especially when they are in flower, since it likes to ambush foraging ants Toxicity: This species is not aggressive towards humans and is probably too small to induce systemic illness though it may cause local inflammation

Side view Underside of spider A juvenile male? Front view

Among the distinguishing features of this species are that it has the general shape of an ant but lacks a helmet-like head region and a body visibly divided into three segments, these being characteristics of the more common ant mimic salticid, Myrmarachne species. The very dark body colour with two pairs of white abdominal cross-bands (at least on the male) is also distinctive.

Known range: One alleged specimen was found near Sydney but otherwise the main locatility in which this species is known to be present is the coastal area from Gladstone to Brisbane.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: None.