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jumping spider & weaver ant (alate queen)

Photo by Scott Frazier
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

This spider may be Thiania sp. but in any event it's a jumping spider with a royal catch of a weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) "alate queen". (See comments and notes). Jumping spiders (Salticidae) contain "more than 500 described genera and about 5,000 described species, making it the largest family of spiders" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_spider

Habitat:

Spotted on (this) swamp lily (Crinum asiaticum http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7056151 ) in large semi-urban yard & garden adjacent to a disturbed patch of remnant forest. This is in the equatorial tropics of northern New Guinea.

Notes:

@00:52: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/weaver-ants/weaver-ants-video See also http://www.panoramio.com/photo/91239732 and http://www.naturemagnified.com/2010/07/weaver-ant-queen.html For more information on (regular) weaver ants check out my several spottings.:-)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (28)
Rosa Maria
Hi Scott! That is an exciting find! Machi mentioned something about queens and alates. Anyways an alate is a general term for winged reproductive individual, but sometimes alates are referred to as virgin sexuals. You could call this an alate queen. :) I don't know much about ants except for Solenopsis invicta, the red imported fire ant.
Scott Frazier
Hi Franco! But really jumping spiders are absolutely harmless...to people ;-) and like Alan says, they're cool. See how harmless they are here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7046753 and here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/185306006 :-)
Machi
And sorry for the confusion. I should have said that I am less knowledgeable on the topic than her since she taught me about it and that I was going to ask her to look at it.
Machi
Yes, I know. I'm going to tell her about it when I see her tomorrow. I hope she can help! :)
Scott Frazier
Hello Machi. I'm confused. I do not see a comment by Rosa Maria to defer to. Thanks.
Machi
Very cool! I would defer to Rosa Maria for her ant knowledge for distinguishing male and female alates as she does some lab work with ants. Also, congrats on the ant ID, that is helpful to know if you want to further investigate on the topic.
Scott Frazier
This gets even more interesting. It is a queen I think, nabbed before she lost her wings and before she could establish her colony. See the video at 00:52 http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/weaver-ants/weaver-ants-video
Scott Frazier
Wow. Thanks Wild Things, Sukanya, Daniele, kyleigh, António, outsidegirl, Leanne, Maria & Machi!!!! And thanks Machi for the tip to investigate.
Machi
Great spotting and a beautiful shot! This is probably an alate and not a queen; they typically pull off the wings once they mate (there are probably exceptions though). Good luck with the ID, I know spiders and ants are tricky bugs to identify.
Maria dB
Marvelous spotting, Scott - congratulations on the capture and on the SOTD!
LeanneGardner
Great capture Scott! Brave little jumper. Congratulations on your SOTD mate :)
AntónioGinjaGinja
Great capture Scott,perfect timing,congrats on the SOTD and thanks for sharing
Scott Frazier
Oh thank you Karen, I'm honored! Thanks very much Luis, Cindy and DrNamgyal!
KarenL
Congrats Scott, your diminutive jumping spider and its “Royal” feast is our Spotting of the Day! Jumping spiders (Salticidae) are the largest family of spiders with more than 500 described genera and about 5,000 described species. Facebook: https://upload.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/a.10150595289465603.674700.10150120463815603/10154159187730603/?type=1 Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/468943920966434816
Scott Frazier
Thanks sunnyjosef, you are right on that. I have several spottings, spider & prey. :-)
sunnyjosef
Jumping spiders are excellent hunters.. Beautiful spotting Scot...

Spotted for Missions

Mission
International Spider Survey
Mission
Hunters & Animal Food Habits
Mission
Jumping Spiders of the World
Mission
Biota of S. Frazier's Yard at Sentani, Papua, Indonesia

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Photographed
PublishedMay 18, 2014

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