To avoid being eaten, a tiny jumping spider walks like its neighbours. It walks like ants which can bite back with strong jaws. S
cientists found that the spider walks in an ant-like manner – raising its front legs to mimic an ant's antennae, and lifting its legs to walk, instead of jumping like normal jumping spiders.
While its ant-like walking does not always provide protection, the Siler collingwoodi spider also has a colourful body that gives it camouflage. This helps it hide in the red-flowering West Indian jasmine, the plant it lives in.
The scientists from Peking University say: "We found that the spiders move in a way similar to that of ants, whereas their bright-coloured appearance blends well into their living environment."
