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So I came across something terribly amazing today, that is, a video showing this species of peacock-spider, that literally, transforms into a human face waving his arms about.

What could have possibly given rise to this?

I can understand the arms waving around, but why the uncanny human-face template, complete with eyes, nose, mouth, etc.

I do not believe this to be a case of anthropomorphism on my part, (seeing what I am familiar with), because I cannot imagine any other natural case where such symmetry in a pattern would closely resemble a human face.

Would appreciate any explanation. Thanks!

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I think this really is just a case of what you refer to in your question as anthropomorphism. We are very, very good at seeing faces. Here are some more examples.

Addendum

This site has pictures of quite a few peacock spiders, and as far as I can tell these are all the same species (The only peacock spider mentioned on Wikipedia is Maratus volans).

The remarkable thing about these images is that individual spiders seem to have very different patterns on thorax and abdomen, and many of these are much less like human faces. This seems to me to weaken the case for some sort of mimicry.

Interesting fact: seeing faces and other forms where they do not exist is a psychological phenomenon called pareidolia.

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  • $\begingroup$ Im not so sure... I mean, yes, anthropomorphism is a relevant scenario, but some of those faces (like the samurai crab) did evolve due to Japanese fishermen throwing back what they thought looked like crabs with samurai faces, and the solution converged. I am wondering if this face on this spider evolved out of similar feedback with humans and/or other mammals? $\endgroup$
    – Spacey
    Apr 4 '13 at 21:36
  • $\begingroup$ @Mohammad, I really doubt that the kind of selection that fishermen can provide would be stable enough or even exist over enough time to drive the evolution of such a trait. Even if it were, I find it far more likely that fishermen would chose the crabs that most looked like human faces rather than discard them. $\endgroup$
    – terdon
    Apr 5 '13 at 2:39
  • $\begingroup$ @terdon What about the example with the moths in London who changed their wing color to a darker shade when the industrial revolution covered the city in ashes? I think human activity can provide stable selection in many cases. $\endgroup$
    – Drosophila
    Apr 5 '13 at 14:28
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    $\begingroup$ @terdon Absolutely, we do see faces everywhere. But we use a colon and parenthesis because they look like a face. My whole argument is that indeed there's antroporphism, but animals take advantage of that all the time. As for that spider, it is not trying to imitate a human face in particular. Rather, having a back that looks like a scary face may help with larger animals. $\endgroup$
    – Drosophila
    Apr 5 '13 at 17:55
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    $\begingroup$ And to note: this is all rather hypothetical, of course. It's hard to get a direct answer to any evolutionary/ecological question, hence there's so much debate. $\endgroup$
    – Drosophila
    Apr 5 '13 at 17:57
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Peacock spiders certainly aren't mimicking human faces, and I strongly doubt they're mimicking anything at all. As others have noted, it's the combination of a fluke, and some anthropomorphising on your part (easy to do!).

The stunning colours and 'dancing' are actually part of a courtship display, and are most likely under strong sexual selection, rather than selection for any anti-predator function. The male-limited colours are only on display during courtship, and are otherwise flattened along the abdomen. It's also worth remembering that these spiders are tiny (< 5 mm), so the only other animals that are likely to be able to resolve those patterns in any detail are similarly sized organisms with decent eyesight (i.e. female peacock spiders).

Madeline Girard is in the latter-stages of her PhD on these guys, I'd recommend shooting her an e-mail if you're really interested.

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In part, the way the spider resembles a human face is due to bilateral symmetry in the body shape and coloring of the spider. Bilateral symmetry evolved early in the animal kingdom to facilitate streamlining of the body (which makes it move faster in any fluid, including air and water), formation of a central nervous system and a head. Human faces (and bodies) are also bilaterally symmetric, hence the resemblance.

Another reason, as you note, is antropomorphism - the ability of humans to see a human face in many natural shapes and colorings. Other animals, including predators probably also have this ability to see faces in nature. This allowed the spider to evolve to imitate a scary face. This is called mimicry and it helps the spider ward off predators.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks drosophilia. Do you think that in this particular case, this 'face' is used to ward off bigger, (ostensibly animals) who would recognize this as a 'face' of some sort? Or do you think it is just a relic of bilateral symmetry? $\endgroup$
    – Spacey
    Apr 4 '13 at 21:37
  • $\begingroup$ Not sure. Could be both, I think, since bigger predators may inadvertently crush the spider or use it at play. The scary face could stop them from doing that. $\endgroup$
    – Drosophila
    Apr 4 '13 at 21:42
  • $\begingroup$ The subtitle of the video you linked to says it is a courtship ritual. $\endgroup$
    – Stockfisch
    Apr 5 '13 at 10:38
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There are 44 species of peacock spider known to date and each species has a unique pattern on the thorax. Although this patterns can often resemble human faces, the likelihood of this being is the case is almost impossible because that would mean that humans would have to be present right at the beginning and throughout the evolution of these species.

They are endemic to Australia and as you may know Australia has vast areas of Australia that have only been inhabited humans for short periods. The process of evolution take much longer than a few generations. This similarity should be seen as more of a beautiful coincidence than any sort of mimicry

source - MSc dissertation written on the fascinating little creatures

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  • $\begingroup$ Australia has vast areas that have never been inhabited by humans? Such as...? Indigenous Australians have roamed the country for a long, long time before white folks occupied the place. And a link to your source would be helpful. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD ♦
    Dec 7 '15 at 20:20
  • $\begingroup$ @GeorgeLilley It would be great if you could add some of these ressources. Or a link to your thesis if this is possible. $\endgroup$
    – Chris ♦
    Dec 7 '15 at 20:38
  • $\begingroup$ My apologies, my source is my own MSc dissertation so the infrmation is from several reliable sources. By uninhabited I meant areas that have not been inhabited by any permanent residence, rather than roaming semi/non-permanent residence. The process of evolution takes a very long time as i'm sure you know so for these spiders to mimic human faces it would have to of had that influence for more that a few generations period. $\endgroup$
    – George Lilley
    Dec 7 '15 at 20:42
  • $\begingroup$ Unfortunately it has been many years since I did this piece of work so the sources I used are not to hand. $\endgroup$
    – George Lilley
    Dec 7 '15 at 20:44
  • $\begingroup$ No need for apologies! The Australian Indigenous peoples were indeed nomadic. If you could adjust your answer I'm happy to remove that downvote. Having lived in Australia with a cultural anthropologist as lifelong partner I happen to be more critical than most :) But without references and leaning on memories only the answer is under-sourced. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD ♦
    Dec 7 '15 at 20:45

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