Castianeira longipalpa

The manybanded antmimic (Castianeira longipalpa) is a common ground-active spider. They can look quite different depending upon how long they have been out running in the underbrush. Their body is black, covered with many very light colored scales, sometimes forming bands on the abdomen.These scales,  like those on a moth or butterfly, can be lost with wear.  Sometimes they are nearly gone, and the spider looks very different.

photo of a manybanded antmimic
a relatively freshly-molted female manybanded antmimic (Castianeira longipalpa)

 

photo of a manybanded antmimic
a male manybanded antmimic (Castianeira longipalpa) posed on a piece of brown paper in captivity

 

photo of a manybanded antmimic
a manybanded antmimic (Castianeira longipalpa)

BACK TO SPIDERS GALLERY (LINK)