When camouflage fails: Predation of a huntsman spider Damastes sp. (Araneae: Sparassidae) on a stick insect Antongilia sp. (Phasmatodea: Bacillidae: Antongiliinae) from Madagascar

Abstract

Although laboratory trials suggest that stick insects (Phasmatodea) are a highly palatable prey group for spiders, field observations confirming this hypothesis are very rare. We report on a predatory event involving a huntsman spider of the genus Damastes (Araneae: Sparassidae) on a stick insect of the genus Antongilia (Bacillidae: Antongiliinae) from Madagascar. Despite the anti-predator adaptations that characterise this insect group (e.g. the cryptic camouflage) the stick insect was recognized and overwhelmed by the sparassid spider.