slender ant-mimic jumping spider

(Synemosyna formica)

Conservation Status
slender ant-mimic jumping spider
Photo by Terry Hayes
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

The slender ant-mimic jumping spider is a Batesian mimic. It has evolved to imitate the appearance of ants which are avoided by mantises, ants, and larger jumping spiders.

The front body part of the body (cephalothorax) has a relatively sharp downward slope between the head portion and the thorax portion. The rear portion of the cephalothorax is narrow and has parallel sides. It appears to be part of the pedicel.

The abdomen is constricted, an evolutionary modification to mimic ants. There are white marks at the constriction on dark individuals, pale marks on light individuals.

The legs have no prominent spines. The front legs are curved, mimicking ant antennae.

On the copulatory organs of the male (palpal bulbs) the embolus is fixed to the tegulum.

There are four pairs of eyes arranged in three rows. The front middle (anterior median) pair is by far the largest. The rear two pair form a square.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Female Body Length: 3 16 to ¼

Male Body Length: to 3 16

 
     
 

Web

 
 

No web

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Bushes and tall grass

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

 

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Movements by the spider keep ants at an acceptable distance.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

The slender ant-mimic jumping spider is prey for the very ants that it mimics, yet it builds its nest in close proximity to an ant nest. It constructs a very tough nest that the ants cannot penetrate. The odor of the nearby ant nest keeps predators away from the spider nest.

 
     
 

Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 29, 30, 82.

 
  10/20/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Arachnida (arachnids)  
 

Order

Araneae (spiders)  
 

Suborder

Araneomorphae (typical spiders)  
  Infraorder Entelegynae (entelegyne spiders)  
 

Superfamily

Salticoidea  
 

Family

Salticidae (jumping spiders)  
 

Subfamily

Salticinae (typical jumping spiders)  
 

Tribe

Simonellini  
 

Genus

Synemosyna (slender ant-mimic jumping spider)  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

slender ant-mimic jumping spider

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Cephalothorax

The front part of a spider’s body, composed of the head region and the thoracic area fused together. Eyes, legs, and antennae are attached to this part.

 

Pedicel

In plants: the stalk of a single flower in a cluster of flowers. In Hymenoptera and Araneae: the narrow stalk connecting the thorax to the abdomen.

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Alfredo Colon

 
  slender ant-mimic jumping spider      
         
 

Albany, NY on August 7, 2022.

These ant mimics were more numerous than real ants....incredible.

  slender ant-mimic jumping spider  
         
  slender ant-mimic jumping spider   slender ant-mimic jumping spider  
         
  slender ant-mimic jumping spider   slender ant-mimic jumping spider  
         
  One of my Wish List insects for MN was an ant mimic jumping spider and I got it. I think this is the Slender Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider, Synemosyna formica. When I shot it I really believed it was ant.....until I saw the enlarged photo in the camera. The photos were taken on June 2, 2021 in Wooodbury, MN.   slender ant-mimicking jumping spider  
         
  slender ant-mimic jumping spider   slender ant-mimic jumping spider  
         
  slender ant-mimic jumping spider   slender ant-mimic jumping spider  
         
  slender ant-mimic jumping spider      
         
  ...the ant on top of a flower petal.   slender ant-mimic jumping spider  
 

Siri

 
 

Measured about 3mm in length.

 
    slender ant-mimic jumping spider      
 

Terry Hayes

 
  … this ant mimic spider is something new to me. I've seen three of them in my yard in Montrose MN.   slender ant-mimic jumping spider  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

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Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Synemosyna formica (ant mimic) - Jumping Spider
Dick Walton
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Nov 26, 2010

female Synemosyna formica jumping spider; this ant mimic is shown preparing a leaf for a shelter

 
  Antlike Jumping Spider Synemosyna formica
Spiderville Kentucky
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 27, 2015

Jumping spider

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Alfredo Colon
8/7/2022

Location: Albany, NY

These ant mimics were more numerous than real ants....incredible.

ant-mimicking jumping spider  
  Alfredo Colon
8/6/2022

Location: Albany, NY

ant-mimicking jumping spider  
  Alfredo Colon
6/2/2021

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

One of my Wish List insects for MN was an ant mimic jumping spider and I got it. I think this is the Slender Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider, Synemosyna formica. When I shot it I really believed it was ant.....until I saw the enlarged photo in the camera. The photos were taken on June 2, 2021 in Wooodbury, MN. By the way, the photo with the white/pink background is the ant on top of a flower petal.

ant-mimicking jumping spider

 
  Ray Staus
4/8/2021

Location: Vermillion, MN

 

 
  Siri
10/31/2019

Location: Eagan MN

Measured about 3mm in length..

slender ant-mimic jumping spider

 
  Terry Hayes
10/4/2015

Location: Montrose MN

Hi, I see you could use a few more spider pictures on your website. I have a lot of jumping spider pix, but this ant mimic spider is something new to me. I've seen three of them in my yard in Montrose MN.

slender ant-mimic jumping spider

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 10/23/2015

Last Updated:

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