Have you seen a Lichen Huntsman Spider before? The large spider species (Pandercetes sp.) is known for its cryptic coloration or cryptosis which is the ability to match the color and texture of the surroundings as a perfect camouflage against its prey. As in this case, the subject spider was spotted by wildlife photographer Melbert Baul at a tree trunk in Ultrawinds Mountain Resort in Baungon, Bukidnon. See if you can find the spider at first glance …
Pandercetes is a genus of huntsman spiders that was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in his 1875 treatise on Australian spiders (SOURCE). They are mainly distributed in tropical Asia and Australia, and are known for their cryptic coloration that matches local moss and lichen. Their legs have lateral hairs, giving them a feathery appearance, further masking their outline against tree trunks. Their head is somewhat elevated and the carapace has the thoracic region low and flat. (SOURCE)
A lichen (pronounced lay-ken) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship (SOURCE). They come in many colors, sizes, and forms and are sometimes plant-like, but are not plants. They may have tiny, leafless branches (fruticose); flat leaf-like structures (foliose); grow crust-like, adhering tightly to a surface (substrate) like a thick coat of paint (crustose); have a powder-like appearance (leprose); or other growth forms. (SOURCE)
photos by Melbert Baul
