Camouflage: Many ambush predators have evolved into masters of camouflage. This one is especially impressive: Crab Spiders in the genus Misumenoides formosipes are a sit-and-wait predators that do not use a web for prey capture. Instead, they sit perched atop flowers with their front pairs of legs spread open wide in preparation for capturing whatever unlucky insect comes near. These spiders are actually capable of actively changing their body color from yellow to white, or vice versa, depending on the flower they are perched on. They do this by transferring a liquid, pigmented material to the cuticle. The color change is not instantaneous; it can take anywhere from three to nine days to complete (G. N. Dodson, personal communication, June 2014). Adapted from spiders.us/species/misumenoides-formosipes/
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 02:24:45 +0000
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