Small bird dung spider

Fact Box Species: Arkys curtulus (RM, QM) or a closely related species (formerly an Archemorus species) Family: Araneidae Body length: female: 8 mm male: 5 mm Habitat: On the exposed surfaces of green leaves; no webbing is present, spider ambushing its prey Toxicity: Uncertain; this species is not aggressive and may be too small to be hazardous to humans

Melanic form A brown female

This spider varies in colour and is sometimes totally black (the melanic form). In most instances it has some resemblance to a bird dropping, the legs and most of the body being black but the two abdominal 'wings' white. Because of this camouflage effect, it can often be found motionless on the surface of a leaf waiting for unsuspecting insects to land.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: Celaenia excavata, Celaenia calotoides and Dolophones conifera.