Beautiful

[Wadew]

Brighter, more developed more colorful, = More attractive!

 

[edgeofthefreak]

Pretty spiders stand out to us because we're collectors looking at them. It's different out in the wild with everything else going on. Many tarantulas have different colors/markings on the carapace, abdomen, and legs. That breaks up their form to a casual observer, who doesn't necessarily 'connect the dots' and realize that those dissimilar parts all belong to the same animal. That works to a spider's advantage, with both prey and predator.

The 'handicap' has a purpose. There are male animals that indeed have evolved to be at an disadvantage because of oversize parts or bright colors, for the reason that they 'have to be good to survive with them.' It's a way nature thins out the less fit, without males fighting amongst themselves for breeding rights. A test of their genetic worthiness. If they can evade predators looking like that, they have to be have a lot of good traits, like speed, alertness, cunning, strength, agility, etc. All qualities that benefit a species long term survival.

+1 to all this. It's just like an ol' skool College hazing ritual. You can run to the Dean and say it isn't fair, or put on that sequined dress and tiara, and earn your place.

 

[IHeartTs]

+1 to all this. It's just like an ol' skool College hazing ritual. You can run to the Dean and say it isn't fair, or put on that sequined dress and tiara, and earn your place.

What kind of college did you attend......

 

[cold blood]

What kind of college did you attend......

I immediately thought of the Simpsons episode where Homer goes to clown college.

 

[IHeartTs]

I immediately thought of the Simpsons episode where Homer goes to clown college.

Ugh now I just pictured an ouchie the clown college. Thanks. Thanks a freaking lot.

 

[edgeofthefreak]

What kind of college did you attend......

The Collegiate Institute for Ritualistic Hazing. I was an art major.

For the record, I looked fabulous earning my place.

 

[gambite]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aposematism

 

[IHeartTs]

The Collegiate Institute for Ritualistic Hazing. I was an art major.

For the record, I looked fabulous earning my place.

I bet you were. Did you dress like that to earn your place at work too? I bet your boss would have been mighty impressed.

 

[edgeofthefreak]

I bet you were. Did you dress like that to earn your place at work too? I bet your boss would have been mighty impressed.

Nah, at work they make me wear a chump hat.

They keep the fancy finery locked away from us "common staff". I'll likely get eaten someday.

 

[GG80]

Just an article I came across which related to this topic. It has been discovered that a small white stripe of hair on the 'face' of a brown huntsman spider is used to lure prey in the dark. The discovery was made after the white hair was removed from the spider.

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/prey-are-drawn-brown-spiders-white-moustache