[自然百科] 笑面蜘蛛

vandas

Meet the Happy Face spider, the insect that might make even arachnophobics smile

Meet the only spider in the world guaranteed to bring a smile to your face - the Happy Face spider.

The tiny creature has been given the nickname thanks to bizarre markings on its body which resemble a big smiley face.

Found in the rainforests of Hawaiian islands the tiny arachnid is just a few millimetres big and said to be harmless to humans.


  Web sensation: Meet the only spider in the world guaranteed to bring a smile to your face - the Happy Face Spider

The photographer who was delighted to capture the unusual creature on camera was Darlyne Murawski from Massachusetts, US.

She said: 'I took the picture when I was in Maui, while I was there I wanted to take the opportunity to see if I might be able to find a Happy Face Spider.

'We spent a while looking before we discovered one under a leaf in the rainforest.

'They're so tiny, they're difficult to find and you have to look at them through a magnifying glass to see the smiley face.

'But I eventually found one beneath a leaf in a rainforest.
At first I was amazed at how small it was, less than a quarter of an inch big.

'You need look at it through a magnifier to see it's smiley face, but it was fascinating.

'I was so thrilled I couldn't wait to get home and find out more about it.'


All smile: Found in the rainforests of Hawaiian islands, the tiny arachnid which has the scientific name Theridion grallator, is just a few millimetres big and said to be harmless to humans


'Say trees': Photographer Darlyne Murawski from Massachusetts, U.S. was delighted to capture the unusual creature on camera


   All smiles: Found beneath a leaf in a rainforest, 'Happy Face' is less than a quarter of an inch big



FIVE FACTS ABOUT 'HAPPY FACE'

• Its scientific name is Theridion grallator   in recognition of its long legs - the term is Latin for stiltwalker
  
• In Hawaii, where it is found it is known as   the face-patterned spider - Nananana makaki'i
  
• The tiny spider reaches only grows to about   five millimetres long
  
• Each arachnid has a unique pattern, and the   patterns are different on each island where they inhabit
  
• Scientists theorise that markings may   change depending on what food the spider has eaten, some believe the pattern   serves no practical purpose