Zodariid ant spider

This tiny and beautiful spider is a member of family Zodariidae. Many members of this family hunt and even live together with ants, mimicking their behavior and sometimes even their chemical traits. Amazing.

Sure enough, this tiny hunter appeared in my porch just as I was digging a bed nearby which had produced lots of frantic ant activity.

Genus Storena.

4 mm length

comments (5)

Ernst

Lion

I am fairly sure that this is a member of - Family Zodariidae and looks like Storena formosa Posted 4 years ago
1. Ruth Spigelman
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks for your input Ernst. As you can see by the title, I've recognised this as a Zodariid spider. Have checked Storena formosa sightings on iNaturalist and do not agree on that ID. Posted 4 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Pentasteron simplex?
    
    Visually matches very closely, but I'm not sure if there's more species looking near-identical. Posted 4 years ago

Ernst

Lion

I am aware how little info there is .The images I looked at and compared the leg colouring pattern and found them to be very close to your entry are from Storena Formosa and Storena maculata.
You might have the info I am attaching but if not there are 4 images of spiders in genus Storena
http://ednieuw.home.xs4all.nl/australian/Spidaus.html Posted 4 years ago
1. Ruth Spigelman
  
  Lion
  
  I notice even here on this Ed Nieuwenhuys site, there is a ? after the ID of S. maculata and S. formosa photos. This is a site I frequent often, together with Find a Spider and iNaturalist, and none could satisfy me with a definitive ID on this sighting. Certainly looks like Storena genus though, I agree. Posted 4 years ago, modified 4 years ago

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