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Spider

Photo by kjcorya
Published on Project Noah
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38.8733, -85.6119

Field Notes

Description:

A very tiny green spider

Habitat:

On a car

Species ID Suggestions

White Crab Spider or Flower Spider

Misumena vatia

Comments (4)

Here is another resource from University of Michigan in which they are using the common name Goldenrod spider. See site: http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/79/Misumena_vatia/pictures/
So, this could have been in the middle of a color change process to produce this particular hue.
Per Wikipedia they can actually change their colors at will, "These spiders change color by secreting a liquid yellow pigment into the outer cell layer of the body. On a white base, this pigment is transported into lower layers, so that inner glands, filled with white guanine, become visible. If the spider dwells longer on a white plant, the yellow pigment is often excreted. It will then take the spider much longer to change to yellow, because it will have to produce the yellow pigment first. The color change is induced by visual feedback; spiders with painted eyes were found to have lost this ability. The color change from white to yellow takes between 10 and 25 days, the reverse about six days. The yellow pigments have been identified as kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine[2]" Source- Wikipedia.
This species of spider will vary in color and will actually choose its flower based on its look.
Photographed
PublishedJune 29, 2011

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