Hazing sleepily through the first weekend of shooting after starting a full week of commuting 3 hours daily on the ever popular SBS bus alternating between trying not to collapse on the person next to me and trying not to throw up from all the braking and surging like a small dive boat riding the Fremantle waves, we happily came across a Wide Jawed Viciria, which somewhat resembles a Scorpion.
Wider Jawed viciria (Viciria praemandibularis)
The Wide Jawed Viciria comes under the family of Jumping Spiders (Salticidae). Jumping spiders are a hit with nature photographers. Wow, they’ll give you a million great poses. They could scratch their armpits and still look glamorous. In the photo above, the spider is drumming on the leaf.
The most photogenic spider in the natural world
Here our model is looking demure by clasping its “hands” together like a formal portrait while directing its famed “headlights” gaze gently at the camera. Oh by the way, our model is male.
Over here the spider is doing the tango, putting its weight on one side and then quickly on the other side and back again.
Getting ready to jump!
Our eager model also provides great action shots. Here it is above, getting ready to do the action that gives the Salticidae its name: JUMP! And jump it did, multiple times onto… my partner’s lens hood. Look at the back legs bunch up ready to provide it with the force to jump a distance so many times its own body length it’s like us jumping over an entire HDB estate.
Hmmm…. what kind of disguise might this be?
Other than the typical poses, the Viciria also does this strange yoga like pose when disturbed. Though I don’t know what on earth it’s trying to mimic. 
Next time you’re out wandering in the park, do keep an eye out for this great looking fellow! It likes to hang out under leaves, literally, just like these good looking fellows of the bat persuasion:
😀
Butterfly Effect 