Flat Spider (Hemicloea sp.)

[moloch]

Flat Spiders (Hemicloea sp.) are very common in the sandstone country near Wollongong. They live in tiny crevices or between sheets of exfoliating rocks. Their body shape is so odd and it looks as if they have encountered a rolling pin. The egg sacs are equally flat.

Here are a few habitat shots of rocks where these spiders live:

Regards,
David

 

[Leetplayer]

Wow, very mean looking huge fang spider! Very interesting! Thanks for the photos.

 

[Deroplatys]

Lol they are interesting, pancake spider would of been a funnier name though

 

[TheTyro]

Wow, it looks rediculous. I think i've seen a spider sort of like that before. Nature is amazing, if there is a place for it, there will be life. o_o

 

[What]

<3 Trochanteriidae :worship:

 

[snakebytes]

Very cool spider. Thanks for the great post. Habitat shots are always a big plus.

 

[buthus]

Fantastic!
Flat rock scorps ...flat rock spidies! Could have guessed that HAD to have happened!

 

[ZergFront]

That has got to be the weirdest spider I've ever seen! Makes my ankles hurt thinking about how it can walk in that posture!!

 

[moloch]

Thanks, all, for the comments.

Yes, "Pancake Spider" would have been a good name for it.

These spiders move in a strange way. As you can see, the legs are twisted so that they extend horizontally rather than vertically. They seem to move almost crab-like. Although it looks ungainly, they tend to run in very fast circles when disturbed.

Regards,
David

 

[Moltar]

Awesome! It looks like it's been stepped on. Nice pics of the habitat too, I find habitat pics just as interesting as the spiders themselves.

 

[Black Widow88]

Awesome!

Never heard of them so I MUST do a blog entry on them I must!

First for more info. But does anyone what species is in the pic and do they bite?

Aaaaaah! So many questions!

 

[squamata99]

I'd like to jump in that water:razz:

 

[Black Widow88]

I'd like to jump in that water:razz:

Me too! It's so pretty!

 

[Scorpendra]

wow, that's a cool-looking spider :razz:

 

[Black Widow88]

Yes it is. I don't think I've seen anything like it in pictures or in person.

Is there any info? I'm going to look on Google, but if anyone knows anything post it here please as I would like to add this to my insect blog with some decent info instead of just pictures and my takes on how pretty or cute it is.

And I've done that alot with insects and spiders that don't have alot of info on the internet for some reason or another unfortunately. So I'd like to break the habit if it's possible.

Thanks alot though for letting me know about yet another spider I didn't know about. YAY!