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Huntsman spider

Pandercetes sp

Photo by Dan Doucette
Published on Project Noah
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6.04358, 80.2393

Field Notes

Description:

extremely camouflaged and hairy spider on a tree trunk, about 2" leg tip to leg tip

Habitat:

tropical rainforest

Notes:

I spotted this in Kottawa conservation forest. I nearly missed this as I walked past but I did a double take and spotted it.

Species ID Suggestions

Family: Sparassidae

Pandercetes decipiens ?

Reference Link
Eric Carrasco
1

Comments (14)
Dan Doucette
Thanks for the recent comments TK and syzygy and those I missed years ago.
syzygy
This is the most scary creature of Earth, I have ever seen! Those eyes, oh my!. .. Worst nightmare... Brrr! CGI sucks - Nature rulez! (:
Dan Doucette
Thanks Joe, I'll put it as Pandercetes species.
SpiderJoe
I think there's more evidence for sparassidae than thomisidae, likely Pandercetes, but not Pandercetes plumipes.
Dan Doucette
Thanks Eric and SpiderJoe for the suggestions and info but I'm confused as to the ID. So its not Sparassidae?
SpiderJoe
However, that 2-inch size is more consistent with sparassidae than thomisidae.
SpiderJoe
I'm not convinced this is a sparassid. Notice how the anterior lateral eyes are on distinct tubercles, and notice how the body and legs are distinctly tuberculate. I don't see this in photos of Pandercetes. Thomisidae was my first thought, but mind you, Sri Lanka is way out of my area of expertise, and I'm no guru on sparassidae.
DanielePralong
What a fantastic series of images Dan! Your camouflaged spider is our Spotting of the Day! I hope it gets identified! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/pb.10150120463815603.-2207520000.1492210930./10158559500605603/?type=3&theater Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/853020221333962752

Spotted for Missions

Mission
International Spider Survey
Mission
Mission WILD

Tags

Photographed
PublishedApril 14, 2017

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