An Australian arachnid expert says a spider filmed in the Queensland’s
northern tropics appearing to be surprised by the camera could have been
reacting to its own reflection.
Owen Seeman from the Queensland Museum said the male Northern Green
Jumping Spider was probably not surprised, but posturing when it saw
what it thought was another male spider in the lens’ reflection. In the
footage filmed by an amateur photographer, the spider approaches the
camera, then appears taken aback and on edge as the camera follows its
moves.
The reaction has led to the arachnid being dubbed the ‘surprised spider’.
But Mr Seeman said it most likely wasn’t surprised. “What happens
with these spiders is that they have some of the best vision of any of
the animal kingdom. Their telescopic vision is magnificent. What they
see when you get a camera is a spider looking back at them in the lens
and it’s another male spider.”
He said the spider could have been “agitated” by seeing a rival male and
this may have led to the spider’s curious behaviour. “If you set up a
mirror in front of one of these spiders, they’ll put on their aggressive
displays that they show to another male.” Mr Seeman said the Northern
Green Jumping Spider is quite common from northern New South Wales all
the up the east coast of Queensland.
There's a news video with an explanation by Mr Seeman
here.
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