Unusual Orb Weaver from Ecuador
Location: Ecuador
January 24, 2013
Hi Daniel. I haven’t posted anything in a while so I thought it might be time. When it comes to ‘bugs’ you may have gathered that I have a particular fondness for the unique and unusual. So I am sending photos of my two favorite finds from a recent trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon (the second to follow shortly). This one is a tiny, rare and undeniably cute Orb Weaver spider called Encyosaccus sexmaculatus (Araneidae: Araneidaeincertae). The genus has only one described species and is native to the upper Amazon basin in Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. The bright colors suggest a warning (aposematic coloration). I haven’t found anything to suggest that they are particularly poisonous, so perhaps they are toxic or distasteful, or they may be mimicking something else that is. Regards. Karl
Hi Karl,
Thanks for sending us this positively gorgeous Orbweaver for our archives. We found a few photos online, including this image from Arachnoboards.
I’ve missed these!
so pretty! <3 Love it!
it’s hard to stop staring, it’s soooo beautiful. nature is amazing.