A distinct species of Sidymella not uncommon in Brisbane but rarely noticed due to its camouflage on hairy plants. Like other Sidymella species the abdomen is triangular in shape. Hawkeswood reports that the male has a narower abdomen and is smaller (body length 4-5mm) than the female (body length 6-7mm). Colour can be variable, and may adjust to the colours of the plant the spider is living on.
- From side
- From above, male
- Female, from above
- Female, underneath
- From above
- From above
- Male palp front
- Male palp side
- Male palp back
- From above
- Female
- Female epigyne
- Mite on Sidymella - the Sidymella
- Mite on Sidymella
- Mite on Sidymella
From side
From above, male
Female, from above
This specimen, body length about 3.5mm collected behind the SOWN shed on Paten Creek. It resembles the hairy Sidymella sp in photo 6 on p99 in Mascord 1980, who was evidently cautious in attributing the name S. hirsuta to his specimen, although other guides (Clyne, 1969) show S. hirsuta with variation. The darker ones would be more mature and not freshly moulted.
Female, underneath
From above
From above
Male palp front
Male palp side
Male palp back
From above
Female
Female epigyne
Mite on Sidymella - the Sidymella
Mite on Sidymella
Mite on Sidymella
Owen Seeman at QM has let us know this is an Oribatid mite - they are quite amazing. Can you imagine: "Oribatida are one of the most numerically dominant arthropod groups in the organic parts of most soils, where their densities can reach several hundred thousand individuals per square meter. Undisturbed soils can easily yield examples of 50-100 species."
