Image of an accurate ant-mimicking spider (Myrmarachne macleayana, left) and putative ant model (Polyrhachis robsoni, right). Spiders are just as good at mimicking ants as other insects are.

By looking like — but not perfectly imitating — the ants, this makes it what the researchers call an imperfect mimic. But that imperfection is enough to fool one of the jumping spider’s most ...

Out of 17 trials, the spider launched five attacks—all of them were launched towards a non-mimicking spider. However, praying mantises attacked both prey species with equal readiness.