Possible new species of spider found that builds fake spider decoys

by Bob Yirka 

While traveling with a group of researchers in the Amazon rain forest this past September, biologist Phil Torres came upon a type of spider he’d never seen before. Upon closer inspection, it turned out the spider wasn’t a spider at all, but a decoy created by a real spider. He documents the find in a blog post for Rainforest Expeditions.

In consulting with experts in the field, Torres has come to believe that the tiny striped spider is a member of the genus Cyclosa, which are known for adding material to their nests to either attract prey or hide from predators. In this case, it appears the spider has developed a special skill to help it avoid being eating by paper wasps…

(Read more: PhysOrg)               (photo: Phil Torres)