Kaleidoscope Ant Mimic Jumper
The name "ichneumon" is derived from the nomenclature of a group of slender waisted wasps with long antennae. However, it has been argued that O. ichneumon looks more like a mutillid wasp ("velvet ant") than an ichneumon wasp, with its stout body and long spinnerets simulating the mutillid wasp’s antennae and mouthparts. To others, the spider simply appears like an ant walking comically backwards. However, it differs from most ants and other ant-mimicking jumpers by its "kaleidoscope of colours", in the words of Dr Chrissie Painting who has studied the behaviour of this species. As shown in the picture below, the spider is indeed spectacularly colourful, and iridescent too.
| Length | ♀ 5–6; ♂ 5–6 mm |
| Distribution | Singapore, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak), Indonesia (West Sumatra), Brunei. |
| Habitat | Shrubs in exposed jungle fringes. |
| Biology | Dr Chrissie Painting and her colleagues have recently documented many fascinating aspects of the spider’s behaviour. For example, the males would engage in courtship display (with a female) or combat (with another male) by raising and flexing its colourful abdomen. In combat, the male would engage its rival with outstretched legs and open jaws. The female would feed on nectaries on leaves (known as "extra-floral nectaries") and spin silk around such nectaries as if to deter ants from stealing their source of food. Females have been seen chasing ants away from such "protected areas". |
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Suborder Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
Cosmophasis ichneumon (Original description ♂)
Simon, 1901c Descriptions d'arachnides nouveaux de la famille des Attidae (suite): 148
Orsima formica (Original description ♂♀)
Cosmophasis ichneumon (♂)
Prószyński, 1984a Atlas rysunków diagnostycznych mniej znanych Salticidae (Araneae): 20
Orsima ichneumon (mf, Transferred from Cosmophasis, Synonym of Orsima formica)
Żabka, 1992a Orsima Simon (Araneae: Salticidae), a remarkable spider from Africa and Malaya: 12, f. 10-17
* Retrieved from the World Spider Catalog.
Singapore, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak), Indonesia (West Sumatra), Brunei.