Amazon Pics Part 25

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:20 am

I wanted to share a few more of the jumping spider we saw in Part 24:

Notice on these last two the brown larvae crawling on the jumper. Anybody ID this as either a hitchhiker or parasite?

This not a view I would prioritize to show, but shows the larvae best

Ken Nelson
Canon 30D
Sigma 150mm

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:44 am

Great!

Cool looking jumping spider.

Seems it keeps legs more spread than our local species.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:53 pm

Very beautiful looking fellow Ken. He looks like he has his church going spider clothes on. What is that thing coming out of the front of his abdomen? Looks like some kind of hitchhiker. (second and third picture rear leg)

EDIT:

What a Dunce, I was too busy looking at the pictures, I didn`t even see that you mentioned the hitchhiker in your post Ken

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:09 pm

beetleman wrote:... What is that thing coming out of the front of his abdomen? Looks like some kind of hitchhiker. (second and third picture rear leg)

Very well noticing Doug!
I think this spider belongs to Borg.

We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is futile. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service us.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:04 pm

Interesting photos Ken - this little character is a macro photographer's dream, isn't he just! Nice colour and light balance too.

Hmmmm, that passenger doesn't bode too well for our little friend..

Bruce

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:11 am

I did a search on spider parasites...didn`t come up with anything specific. They do mention a mermithid nematode worm and wasps. Also found this interesting story.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... N92049.DTL

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:56 am

Interesting article Doug - thanks fpor posting it - Bruce

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:14 am

Nice article Doug. I suspect the wasp larvae may be injecting the same will-draining chemical that human males produce automatically as soon as they get married. Sometimes it even feels as if the end result is the same.

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:16 am

Great shots Ken, as usual. It seems like yuou had the trip of a lifetime.

Irwin