What is this?
We have no idea. It was snapped in Perlis by my husband, and is about 2cm (less than an inch) across.
The scary thing was that it … moved. Yes, this heap of trash was alive. Sentient.
It appears to have legs.
And are those sticky-out things antennae beaming messages to a hovering spacecraft?
It also seems to be carrying several dead bodies around with it, possibly insects and snails…
Is it a master of disguise? “Look, I’m just the local rubbish dump..” Is it perhaps some kind of street sweeper or trash collector on its daily rounds? Or a mortuary assistant collecting the dead?
Spider? Land crab? Nanotechnology gone feral?
Click to enlarge.
I have no idea, but would appreciate opinions….
And the answer has come in from Budak in Singapore. Check out the comments.
it's a type of assassin bug nymph that covers itself with its prey, see http://notexactlyrocketscience.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/assassin-bugs-deceive-spiders-with-coat-of-many-corpses/
Thanks, Budak!
So it's really an assassin on the prowl. Truly scary…you don't know what's going to jump out of the trash at you!
I'm glad you found out, being the naturalist that you are, both of you, but I think I would have a screaming fit if I met something so horrid.
Not my cuppa tea.
Neat! He looks very sneaky.
Project Noah can help you find species sometimes. projectnoah.com .
Interesting, but gross! Thanks for the info.