Male and female crab spiders “cooperate” to mimic a flower

Male and female crab spiders have been observed cooperating to mimic a single flower, expanding the niche of both sexes in mimicry systems. Female crab spiders are known to camouflage themselves as flowers to avoid predation and ambush insect prey. However, it was unclear if male crab spiders also engage in this behavior. In a tropical rainforest in China, researchers observed a male and female crab spider of the species Thomisus guangxicus working together to mimic a Hoya pandurata flower. The male spider mimicked the flower's pistils and stamens, while the female spider mimicked the fused corolla. The complex color of the flower was only matched when both spiders were present. This cooperative behavior may improve the survival and predation efficiency of both male and female crab spiders. Further research is needed to investigate the coevolution between male and female crab spiders.