Today's #DailySpider is the flattie! Though flattie is not an "official" common name, it is an apt descriptor for #spiders in family Selenopidae.

We have only one genus, Selenops, in North America. This beautiful individual is from Arizona.

Just look how flat they are!

Flatties do not build webs. They are ambush predators who rely on stealth and speed to subdue their prey.

Check out this video about @sarahnopidae's super cool research on the mechanics of flattie spider predation behaviour.

Their spins are faster than those of any other terrestrial animal! https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/00000161-8b62-dc6a-a7f5-ff6211ec0000

Also, flatties can fly*!!! Here's a video on @SYanoviak's research** showing that falling flattie spiders can orient in the air & glide back to a tree trunk!



*Glide, actually. They don't have wings.
**Dropping spiders from tall trees. For science.

Bonus baby flatties (flattielings) to round out today's thread, because they are cute: