Watch out Amanda Beard, PETA may have a new spokesman as scientists have discovered a vegetarian spider! Bagheera kiplingi, like some of the vegetarians I know, prefers leafy green goodness over meaty meals, but on rare occasions will steal it’s neighbors babies and enjoy a moment as a carnivore .

At the 12th International Behavioral Ecology Congress (still going on) Villanova scientist, Christopher Meehan explained that a certain population of this Mexican Jumping spider spends it’s life in the Mexican Acacia tree, feeding on the tree and evading it’s vigilant ant neighbors who also utilize the tree for food. The spider is also known to steal ant larvae from passing ants, but scientists found by watching the arachnid, that out of 140 meals they dined solely on vegetation 136 times. Further studies of the spiders tissue revealed a very low concentration of Nitrogen N15, common in carnivores, and a high concentration of Carbon C13, typical in Herbivores.

While other spiders are known to snack on plant life occasionally, this variety of the Acacia Tree spider is the only spider known to have a mostly vegetable diet.

Sources:

Science News & Salticidae (Aranae) of the World