Mexcala macilenta
Mexcala macilenta is a jumping spider found in Ethiopia and Tanzania. It was first described in 2000 by arachnologists Wanda Wesołowska and Anthony Russell-Smith. Like other Mexcala spiders, it mimics ants and ant-like wasps and often lives near them, sometimes preying on them.
The spider is medium to large for a jumping spider. Males have a brown carapace about 3.2–3.4 mm long and an abdomen about 3.4–5.5 mm long, usually rusty-brown with a large black triangular mark in the middle. Females are larger, with abdomens up to about 5.5 mm. Both sexes have long brown legs, and the abdomen’s distinctive triangular black pattern is common (some individuals show three black bands).
Mexcala macilenta hunts by sight during the day, attacking prey from the front. It uses visual courtship displays and can send vibratory signals through silk to communicate. As with many Mexcala spiders, it resembles ants, which helps it blend into ant communities while hunting.
Habitat and distribution: The female holotype was found in Mkomazi National Park, Tanzania, on a hillside with Acacia and Commiphora plants. Another female was found in Sidamo Province, Ethiopia, in a valley with Acacia trees. The species favors shrubland environments.
Taxonomy: It belongs to the Salticidae family (jumping spiders) and the Mexcala genus, which is known for ant mimicry.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:24 (CET).