Journal

Another Beautiful Spider Under Ultraviolet

on
2 August 2013

In a recent post, I highlighted an instance where a bird dung spider looked radically different when exposed to ultraviolet light. This week, we found another spider emitting a beautiful cyan hue under ultraviolet. It seems to fluoresce only under the wavelength of 365nm, rather than the more common 395nm ultraviolet wavelengths. This is a lengthy post with over 50 photos of glorious bugs, be warned!! 🙂

    Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.) - DSC_1509
  1. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)

    Found 2 of these Jade Huntsman Spiders , this is the female. The male is typically brown as seen in an earlier post on sexual dichromatism.

  2. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.) - DSC_1520
  3. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)

    Switched off the lights, opened the shutter for 20s with the Huntsman Spider under UV light. What resulted are beautifully cyan-tinted carapace and legs. At the same time, the spider caught what looked like a caddisfly which was still struggling when the shutter was open.

  4. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.) - DSC_1521
  5. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)

    Tried positioning the UV light all over the place to get a slightly different feel. The prey was obviously still struggling. Amazingly the abdomen remains almost in it’s natural colour.

  6. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.) - DSC_1519
  7. Huntsman Spider (Gnathopalystes sp.)

    View from the front, not as impressive as the dorsal view though.

  8. Earwigs (Dermaptera) - DSC_1075
  9. Earwigs (Dermaptera)

    Greeted by mating Earwigs at the entrance

  10. Earwigs (Dermaptera) - DSC_1088
  11. Earwigs (Dermaptera)

    They ran about, but were still connected!

  12. Feather-Legged Spider (Uloboridae) - DSC_1093
  13. Feather-Legged Spider (Uloboridae)

    James found this Twig-Like Feather-Legged Spider with it’s egg sac. Even the egg sac looked like a twig!

  14. Caterpillar? Pupa? or dead? - DSC_1095
  15. Caterpillar? Pupa? or dead?

    Caterpillar? Pupa? or dead?

  16. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_1143
  17. Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    Victor found this unique looking purplish Huntsman Spider

  18. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_1160
  19. Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    I went really low to get a peek of it’s face. Had to shift some of the leaf litter from covering the face, but still missed out one on the left!!

  20. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_1192
  21. Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    The spider started running around, but into the open so that I could get a clearer shot of the carapace.

  22. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_1197
  23. Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    And this time a much clearer shot of the eyes and chelicerae!

  24. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_1195
  25. Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda sp.)

    A rather majestic pose, don’t you think? 🙂

  26. Katydid (Tettigoniidae) - DSC_1091
  27. Katydid (Tettigoniidae)

    I chanced upon this Katydid in an odd position, and realized that it was laying eggs into this branch! Tan Ming Kai suggested that this could be Carliphisis sp.

  28. Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_1554
  29. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    One of the many Harvestmen that we saw in the night. This carried a bowl-shaped fungus, but what was on the “bowl”? Eggs? Sperm? Or just dirt?

  30. Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_1550
  31. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    View from the side

  32. Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_1549
  33. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    The legs of this Harvestman are often too long for me to get into frame. This was the widest I could get!

  34. Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_1548
  35. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    Just 2 meters away, Melvyn was shooting another Harvestman , this time munching on a fresh prey

  36. Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_1541
  37. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    What was it eating? Caddisfly?

  38. Harvestman (Opiliones) - DSC_1538
  39. Harvestman (Opiliones)

    Again, my widest view of the scene

  40. Feather Legged Spider (Uloboridae) - DSC_1537
  41. Feather Legged Spider (Miagrammopes sp.)

    Melvyn found another Feather Legged Spider with egg sac. Notice how it mimics a twig even with the egg sac!

  42. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha) - DSC_1533
  43. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    A tiny speck on a plant stalk turned out to be this beautiful Planthopper

  44. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha) - DSC_1530
  45. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    View from the top, probably a nymph

  46. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha) - DSC_1523
  47. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha)

    Clearest view I could get. Due to the size of this planthopper, it was extremely difficult to get everything sharp.

  48. Planthopper (Fulgoromorpha) - DSC_1506
  49. Planthopper (Rhynchomitra sp.)

    Another lovely Planthopper

  50. Unknown eggs - DSC_1498
  51. Unknown eggs

    Unknown eggs that had already hatched

  52. Praying Mantis (Mantodea) - DSC_1497
  53. Praying Mantis (Mantodea)

    A tiny Praying Mantis pretending to be a twig as well

  54. Straight-Snouted Weevil (Brentidae) - DSC_1495
  55. Straight-Snouted Weevil (Brentidae)

    Melvyn found a Straight-Snouted Weevil with lots of mites on it’s head!

  56. Straight-Snouted Weevil (Brentidae) - DSC_1496
  57. Straight-Snouted Weevil (Brentidae)

    After just a few shots, the Straight-Snouted Weevil decided to take off. Bye bye!!!

  58. Beetle larva? - DSC_1485
  59. Beetle larva?

    Melvyn the radar king found this little wormy creature. Beetle larva of some sort?

  60. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_1484
  61. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae)

    Found this Wolf Spider carrying her babies!

  62. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_1482
  63. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae)

    Wider view of the Wolf Spider . It was very well camouflaged on the rock.

  64. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) - DSC_1473
  65. Wolf Spider (Lycosidae)

    Going closer rendered parts of the background out of focus, allowing us to see the spider clearly.

  66. Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae) - DSC_1466
  67. Longhorn Beetle (Anancylus griseatus)

    An old favorite, Longhorn Beetle!

  68. Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae) - DSC_1461
  69. Longhorn Beetle (Anancylus griseatus)

    Looking closer, we found 2 different mites on the neck of the Longhorn Beetle

  70. Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae) - DSC_1459
  71. Longhorn Beetle (Anancylus griseatus)

    Full side view of the Longhorn Beetle

  72. Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae) - DSC_1457
  73. Longhorn Beetle (Anancylus griseatus)

    Dorsal view, always important for documentation

  74. Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae) - DSC_1454
  75. Longhorn Beetle (Anancylus griseatus)

    Tried to picture the long horns, but this was the max I could go

  76. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.) - DSC_1451
  77. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.)

    James found this male Big-Jawed Spider

  78. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.) - DSC_1440
  79. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.)

    Looking closer, this Big-Jawed Spider had beautiful metallic plates on it’s abdomen.

  80. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.) - DSC_1434
  81. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.)

    The female Big-Jawed Spider was just nearby!! Lovely silvery plates!

  82. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.) - DSC_1427
  83. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.)

    Close up on the eyes of the Big-Jawed Spider

  84. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.) - DSC_1416
  85. Big-Jawed Spider (Mesida sp.)

    Not easy to shoot this silvery Big-Jawed Spider – the abdomen would typically be overexposed.

  86. Darkling Beetle? (Tenebrionidae) - DSC_1404
  87. Darkling Beetle (Ceropria sp.)

    Melvyn found this Darkling Beetle resting on a log. Sometimes we called this the “oil-spill” beetle for the colours, but this particular one was so colourful that we called it the rainbow beetle!

  88. Darkling Beetles (Tenebrionidae) - DSC_1379
  89. Darkling Beetles (Amarygmus sp.)

    More Beetles nearby, probably before or after making out.

  90. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae) - DSC_1377
  91. Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae)

    Found many Huntsman Spiders running about and took some record shots.

  92. Orb Web Spider (Araneidae) - DSC_1373
  93. Orb Web Spider (Eriovixia sp.)

    Found a lovely bright orange coloured Orb Web Spider

  94. Orb Web Spider (Araneidae) - DSC_1363
  95. Orb Web Spider (Eriovixia sp.)

    Classic view for documentation

  96. Caddisfly (Trichoptera) - DSC_1361
  97. Caddisfly (Trichoptera)

    Lots of these around. Caddisfly?

  98. Caddisfly (Trichoptera) - DSC_1360
  99. Caddisfly (Trichoptera)

    Top view of what might be a Caddisfly

  100. Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?) - DSC_1236
  101. Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus)

    The surprise find of the night came from Victor. Nobody believed him when he shouted that he found a Velvet Worm … lol

  102. Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?) - DSC_1224
  103. Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus)

    We let it crawl up a twig to capture pictures of the bottom of the Velvet Worm. Sho cute!!

  104. Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?) - DSC_1237
  105. Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus)

    The Velvet Worm looked quite fat.. chubby!

  106. Tarantula (Theraphosidae) - DSC_1283
  107. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    Finally got to use my fish-eye lens when this Tarantula didn’t take Melvyn’s presence (in the background) lightly.

  108. Tarantula (Theraphosidae) - DSC_1118
  109. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    I tried to say hi and be friendly… I really did.

  110. Tarantula (Theraphosidae) - DSC_1138
  111. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    Record shot of the Tarantula

  112. Tarantula (Theraphosidae) - DSC_1252
  113. Tarantula (Theraphosidae)

    Close up on it’s eyes. Doesn’t look that scary after all?

The complete album can be viewed here.

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NICKY BAY
Singapore

Hi my name is Nicky Bay. I am a macro photographer, instructor and book author, travelling the world to document the vast micro biodiversity that nature has to offer. Follow my updates and discover with me the incredible beauty and science behind our planet's micro creatures!

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