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The spider species Phrynarachne ceylonica, commonly known as Bird-dung Crab Spider, belongs to the genus Phrynarachne, in the family Thomisidae.

This spider has one of the most effective camouflages of all animals; its body is covered on blobs and warts that give it the appearance of a fresh piece of bird excrement; it often produces a small thread of white silk and sits on it so that it looks like the white stains caused by bird droppings falling onto leaves. And as if this was not amazing enough, it also smells like poop. This camouflage has a double function; it makes the spider a rather unappetizing prey for most animals (especially birds themselves), and it serves as a lure for the small, excrement-loving insects which are the spider’s favorite prey. These spiders are found in Asia, from Indonesia to Japan.

“Birds, almost all with good eyesight, will not go for what appears to be their own turd for food,” says Joseph K.H. Koh of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in Singapore.

The spider’s body has a glossy surface that gives it a “wet” look of fresh faeces, says Koh. “The nodules on the body and rough-edges of the legs further reinforce the ‘shitty’ look – pardon the rudeness,” he says.

When the spider moves, the illusion disintegrates. “The ‘walking poop’ no longer looks like a piece of dropping, especially with its legs spread out,” Koh says.

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