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Vida's Sheep Jumping Spider: researchers believe that these tiny spiders developed their "woolly" appearance as a way to mimic lacewing larvae or scale insects

The scientific name for this species is Oviballus vidae, but it has also been referred to as the "sheepy jumping spider" or "Vida's jumping spider." It was discovered in 2015, and first described (in a formal context) back in 2020.

As this article (PDF) describes:

Recently, two new salticids, R. legitima and Oviballus vidae were described from South Africa, and suggested to be mimics of either scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) or lacewing larvae (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), due to their white colouration and the presence of peculiar tufts of white setae on the body.

The possibility of [scale insects] being the model is supported by Oviballus vidae being regularly collected from plants with woolly scales, although the movements of O. vidae quite closely resemble those of chrysopid larvae.

In fact, a fourth species of possible scale mimic, a new Rhene species, was recently discovered in a collection of salticids from southern Mozambique, indicating that this phenomenon may be more widespread than has previously been known or even suspected.

O. vidae was named after Vida van der Walt, the photographer who captured some of the first images of these spiders back in 2015, just after the species was discovered by Dr. Galina Azarkina. Vida van der Walt also took the photographs that appear in this post.

Sources & More Info:

Arthropoda Selecta (scientific journal): Rediscovery and Redescription of Rhene cooperi, another possible mimic of scale insects (PDF)

Spider Club of South Africa: Two New Species Named After SA Photographer (PDF, with the relevant info on page 5)

Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa: Section on Vida's Sheep Jumping Spider

SOUND ON.

a happy new year to everyone! i hope that this year goes at least somewhat well, we can only try our best. always remember to take care of yourself, especially now in 2024!

happy new years! 2024 yippee!

made a moodboard recently and i was rather happy with it! so i figured i might as well post it here :o)

the two little devil doodles were drawn by @/grogdimples on instagram and tiktok (they gave me permission to post them!)

Your stuffies wanted me to tell you that they love you and care about you. They'll always be there for you, no matter what! Don't worry, they forgive you for accidentally dropping them on the floor during the night while you were sleeping. They know it was just an accident, and that you love them too!

ID credit: CHIaqua on 小红书

(please like, reblog and give proper credit if you use any of my gifs!)

✨Shiny Ditto✨

pure form - 2023

Euphoria

~When you turn to the side and see your new chest for the first time~

Happy Haunting to Boo and Yours with the Welcome Home Happy Haunting Wally Darling Plush! (What a mouthful!)

Bring home a little devil of your own by exploring the Menace event over on Makeship!

(I would like to say too! Thank you to @friendlyfrankenstein for reprising his role as Wally and to @syntheticcharmva for his work as Barnaby B. Beagle! As well as additional voicework from @anonymouspuzzler and @hollowtones! Thank you as well to @downydig for the illustrated backgrounds and the Barnaby pail! A final thank you to Makeship for the opportunity to create something for the Menace event! It was a lot of fun!)