- Instigate ( @Instigate@aussie.zone ) English79•6 months ago
So it looks like the frogs mentioned in this meme are microhylids, and for some further info:
Crocraft & Hambler (1989) noted that the frog seemed to benefit from living in proximity to the spider by eating the small invertebrates that were attracted to prey remains left by the spider. The frog presumably also benefits by receiving protection: small frogs like this are preyed on by snakes and large arthropods, yet on this occasion we have a frog that receives a sort of ‘protection’ from a large, formidable spider bodyguard. Hunt (1980) suggested that the spider might gain benefit from the presence of the frog: microhylids specialise on eating ants, and ants are one of the major predators of spider eggs. By eating ants, the microhylids might help protect the spider’s eggs.
This is also super cute behaviour:
Young spiders have sometimes been observed to grab the frogs, examine them with their mouthparts, and then release them unharmed.
Apparently the spiders’ protectiveness can also be pretty overt:
Karunarathna & Amarasinghe (2009) reported how several Poecilotheria were seen attacking individuals of Hemidactylus depressus (a gecko) after the latter tried eating the eggs of the frogs the spiders were sharing their tree holes with.
And some ideas on why this might be an example of mutualistic behaviour rather than commensalism:
…the spider seems to benefit in that the frogs eat the ants that might ordinarily attack the spider’s eggs. Due to their small size, ants are presumably difficult for the spiders to deal with, and they might be effectively helpless against them.
- rockerface 🇺🇦 ( @rockerface@lemm.ee ) English22•6 months ago
Spiders grabbing frogs and releasing them is like humans grabbing their cats and going for snuggles
- bane_killgrind ( @bane_killgrind@lemmy.ml ) English9•6 months ago
Csakany placed skin from humming frogs onto the body of a frog that does not seem to have any special relationship with tarantulas and is ordinarily eaten by them (the Lowland tropical bullfrog Leptodactylus andreae, a leptodactylid. Csakany used one of its synonyms: Adenomera andreai [sic]). After grabbing the skin-wearing Leptodactylus specimens, the spiders examined them, and released them unharmed. Again, this supports the hypothesis that the tarantulas recognise ‘partner’ frogs after receiving certain chemical signals.
- GreatDong3000 ( @GreatDong3000@lemm.ee ) English16•6 months ago
Spiders more civilized than some of my coworkers
- newtraditionalists ( @newtraditionalists@beehaw.org ) English4•6 months ago
Thank you for this high effort reply. Super interesting and cool to learn about!
- Xyre ( @Xyre@lemmus.org ) English30•6 months ago
But do they pet them?
- bdonvr ( @bdonvr@thelemmy.club ) English30•6 months ago
From another comment: https://aussie.zone/comment/7627328
Young spiders have sometimes been observed to grab the frogs, examine them with their mouthparts, and then release them unharmed.
- ericatty ( @ericatty@lemmy.ml ) English32•6 months ago
In the common vernacular, the spider gives them kissy kisses
- psud ( @psud@aussie.zone ) English1•6 months ago
lick lick
You taste like a friend
- 👍Maximum Derek👍 ( @Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de ) English24•6 months ago
That frog looks like it’s about to start barking like terrier.
- Elise ( @xilliah@beehaw.org ) English8•6 months ago
If the frog was the size of a terrier it wouldn’t be the frog I would be afraid of.
- Zerush ( @Zerush@lemmy.ml ) English23•6 months ago
Hunting spiders are very smart animals, even the little jumping spiders. They all know very well what they are doing, because they have to make plans and strategics to catch their prey, something what the spiders with webs don’t need.
- psud ( @psud@aussie.zone ) English4•6 months ago
And the jumping spiders have very cute faces, with their two large forward facing eyes
Though another hunting spider common in my bit of the world - the huntsman spider - isn’t nearly as cute, though we tolerate them in our houses, and they like our houses. They’re camouflaged for eucalypt bark, and they think they’re hidden when standing on flat painted wallboard
- skye ( @skylestia@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) English15•6 months ago
omg that’s adorable
- Destide ( @sirico@feddit.uk ) English12•6 months ago
Froggy has the very serious face on
- No_Eponym ( @No_Eponym@lemmy.ca ) English12•6 months ago
So many spiders have fallen prey to the cats kept by humans, the great oppressors of spiders. And yet, instead of rising up against this oppression, some spiders have internalized the image of the oppressor, adopted the guidelines of the oppressor, and now seek to build the spider-frog equivalent of a “Catio.”
- tooclose104 ( @tooclose104@lemmy.ca ) English10•6 months ago
I only don’t hate this because I love frogs. If the spider lives frog too, then I can tolerate it.
- Lad ( @AFC1886VCC@reddthat.com ) English10•6 months ago
Let’s not call them spider cats. Let’s call them spider thralls. That sounds more badass.
- Arthur Besse ( @cypherpunks@lemmy.ml ) English10•6 months ago
The spiders tell themselves that they’re keeping the tiny frogs around because they’re killing pests and also kind of cute but, really, there is a brain parasite in the frogs’ feces - tiny amounts of which are all over the floor of the spiders’ burrows - which makes the spiders believe this.
- SplashJackson ( @SplashJackson@lemmy.ca ) English5•6 months ago
So wait, cats eat things that’ll eat human babies?
- phx ( @phx@lemmy.ca ) English1•6 months ago
Also, if the spiders get really hungry then there’s an easy lunch nearby