And speaking of small arachnids... here's one to make you smile

Following up on my Weekly Dose of Cute, here's another little spider that is sure to make you grin. Meet Theridion grallator, perhaps better known as the Hawaiian Happy Face Spider.


This little guy, like the peacock spider, only grows to about 5 mm long, so he's a just as pint-sized as the last one. They're endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian name is nananana makakiʻi (face-patterned spider). Its common name comes from the distinctive marking on its backside - but not all individuals have such a face. Markings are unique to each spider, and vary by region. There are quite a few happy faces morphs:

Anyhow, I just thought that you might need a quick smile - hope these guys gave you one!

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I love those things. They are so cute!

By Synesthesia (not verified) on 05 Nov 2010 #permalink