One night wandering through the busb just outside Mossman in Far North Queensland Australia, I found one of the few arachnid target species I've been after on a recent FNQ trip.
After finding plenty of Heteropoda sp after Heteropoda sp of Huntsman spider which were seemingly on every tree, I was beginning to wonder if I'd see one at all. But as fate would have it - I did!
Funnily enough I was actually looking for tarantulas and utilising my snake snake hook to poke around the undergrowth and leaf litter. I actually dropped the hook and as I stopped to pick it up I noticed eye shine from a nearby tree. I was ready to dismiss it as another Heteropoda sp but I looked anyway, and it was just as well I did. For there sitting on the side of a small tree was the very spider I was searching for.
These spiders are like the Death adders of the arachnid world, utilising that awesome cryptic colouration to blend into the lichen covered trunks of the tree they inhabit. And pounce on prey items should they wander too close.
Nature is truly amazing and I was amazed by this small, perfectly camouflaged spider. Feels so good to finally see one!
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Lichen huntsman (Pandercetes gracilis) showing that awesome camo!
Lichen huntsman (Pandercetes gracilis) portrait
