Description
This member of the Swift Spider (Corinnidae) family is known from SA, from the arid interior to the coastline. They mimic the widespread Green-Headed Ants (Rhytidonopera metallica). Luckily, they do not seem to predate upon these as they are too small to feed on them and will take pinhead crickets in captivity, they may also take fruitflies. These spiders are day-active (Diurnal) and will spend the day running around the ground and low plants looking for prey. These spiders are very fast and can climb plastic so please be careful when dealing with them.
Corinnidae has confusing taxonomy, once part of the Clubionidae, once a dump family where many misfits were placed (which is now much smaller).
These spiders are named due to the green head and inner legs spotted with many white spots, looking like stars in a galaxy. the abdomen is black with light brown banding and a sclerotised (hardened) pink patch at the top.
Grows to 12mm in length.
Nathan Gili (verified owner) –