Idiothele mira

Poec54 · Aug 22, 2014

I got some Idiothele mira slings a couple months ago (which are growing quickly). They've been underground most of the time in silk tubes. As I was feeding an assortment of slings tonight, I looked back at the mira and noticed legs sticking out from a dirt/silk flap in one of the cups. Never saw any flaps before. The spider waited patiently as the cricket gradually investigated the entire deli cup. On one side of the water bowl (a lid from a 16 oz water bottle) was the spider's legs, on the opposite side was the cricket. As the cricket got close, in a millisecond the spider darted out across the water bowl, grabbed the cricket, and pulled it inside the tube. The lid instantly fell into place and there was no animal left visible.

It immediately hit me why mira has blue tarsi and metatarsi: they're lures for insects. They see the brilliant blue and come closer to investigate, maybe thinking it could be fruit or a flower, and if the vibrations are right, the insect gets hauled inside in the blink of an eye.

cold blood · Aug 22, 2014

Its not as much the cool feet as the trap door that I'm attracted to, definitely on my short "wish list". Interesting observations poec54.

Cavedweller · Aug 22, 2014

That's so cool, I never thought about why they had those markings! I didn't know they made trapdoors either.

If I kept baboons I'd definitely get an I. mira, cause those markings look like little socks.

Poec54 · Aug 22, 2014

Cavedweller said:
That's so cool, I never thought about why they had those markings! I didn't know they made trapdoors either.

I think there's two or three species of tarantulas known to make trapdoors. Interesting evolutionary development. I don't know about true trapdoor spiders, but it's interesting that mira has something attractive to dangle out thru the crack in her door. 'Come closer, take a better look.'

LordWaffle · Aug 23, 2014

I mira is my favorite species that I do not own. There are a couple people locally that have some for sale, but lately my funds have been limited, and until I get some partners for my Pokie females who are ready to go, my tarantula budget is basically nil. I fund my hobby with my hobby, and lately I've been in a dry spell for lack of people wanting to do 50/50 trades.

JZC · Aug 23, 2014

That's a really cool observation, makes me want to get some OWs even more.

Neoza · Aug 23, 2014

Thats really awesome!!

lovely species btw!

Poec54 · Aug 23, 2014

JZC said:
That's a really cool observation, makes me want to get some OWs even more.

Most of my collection is OW. On average, they're much more industrious, digging and spinning, than NW's. Maybe it's the urticating hairs that allow NW's more slack when it comes to self preservation. I've got a Cyriopagopus schioedtei sling that's been in a deli cup for a week, that's constructed a 6" silk tube that winds around the cup, on and under the substrate, under a plastic plant, and with a large chamber in the middle (and carefully placed pieces of substrate on the outside of the silk for camouflage). My Orphnaecus sp. Panay Blue slings have 2 and 3 entrances to their homes under a piece of cork, and my Thrigmopeus juvenile has 5 entrances to it's retreat. A little Pelinobious sling removed about an inch of substrate from the bottom of it's deli cup, and carried it all above ground. These are hard-working little guys.

viper69 · Aug 23, 2014

Once I learned of their trapdoor behavior, I had thought of the same thing too. It would make sense, but who knows.

Medusa · Aug 23, 2014

You've done it now...time to start researching...and looking.

Kibosh · Aug 24, 2014

I have a similar theory about my E. Pachypus. It has massive back legs and different coloration on its back end VS its front. It is also very docile for a Baboon. I chalk this up to how it spends most of its time in its burrow back end up, looking much larger than it actually is to predators, so it has no reason to be more defensive. Spiders are truly fascinating animals.

awiec · Aug 24, 2014

Crab spiders utilize a similar strategy, it's hypothesized that they can see in a similar color spectrum as bees so they will utilize certain colored flowers (usually white and yellow) and can blend in and wait for dinner.

cold blood · Aug 24, 2014

awiec said:
Crab spiders utilize a similar strategy, it's hypothesized that they can see in a similar color spectrum as bees so they will utilize certain colored flowers (usually white and yellow) and can blend in and wait for dinner.

Just witnessed this the other day. Saw dead bumblebees hanging in the flowers, looked closer to find significantly smaller crab spiders attached to them, feeding....super-cool sight. You're right, they sure do blend in amazingly well.

awiec · Aug 25, 2014

cold blood said:
Just witnessed this the other day. Saw dead bumblebees hanging in the flowers, looked closer to find significantly smaller crab spiders attached to them, feeding....super-cool sight. You're right, they sure do blend in amazingly well.

They are thought to be able to manipulate the guanine in their bodies to change their color, something that not all spiders can do; the wonder of spider poop.

skippydude · Aug 25, 2014

awiec said:
They are thought to be able to manipulate the guanine in their bodies to change their color, something that not all spiders can do; the wonder of spider poop.

You have got to see this spider http://sgmacro.blogspot.com/2013/07/transformation-of-mirror-spider.html

cold blood · Aug 25, 2014

awiec said:
They are thought to be able to manipulate the guanine in their bodies to change their color, something that not all spiders can do; the wonder of spider poop.

Interesting as I found two, which were exactly the same, but one was primarily white, the other was yellow...the white was on white flowering plants and the yellow was on goldenrod, they each blended in perfectly.

viper69 · Aug 25, 2014

awiec said:
Crab spiders utilize a similar strategy, it's hypothesized that they can see in a similar color spectrum as bees so they will utilize certain colored flowers (usually white and yellow) and can blend in and wait for dinner.

I could be wrong, but I believe it's more the camoflage coloring of the crab spider than their vision. Most crab's in flowers are colored to match specific flowers or groups of flowers from what I have learned.

Poec54 · Aug 25, 2014

viper69 said:
I could be wrong, but I believe it's more the camoflage coloring of the crab spider than their vision. Most crab's in flowers are colored to match specific flowers or groups of flowers from what I have learned.

But the spiders have to know how to go to the right-colored flowers, and their vision may be a key part to it.

awiec · Aug 25, 2014

Poec54 said:
But the spiders have to know how to go to the right-colored flowers, and their vision may be a key part to it.

Correct. I will have to dig up the paper but it suggests that the spiders can sense colors and know which ones bees go for and thus take advantage of it. Some spiders can smell too, there is an African jumping spider that seeks out the smell of human sweat and blood because they know mosquitos feed off humans and hunt them there.

BobGrill · Aug 25, 2014

These sound pretty cool.

Idiothele mira

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