Hasselt's spiny spider

Amidst the dense greenery, a tiny creature sat sweetly in its home. It was a Hasselt's spiny spider, or scientifically known as macracantha hasselti, and belonged to the Araneidae family. This spider was easily recognizable, with its striking coloration and unique body shape. Its flat, wide shape resembled a tiny shield. Viewed from another angle, its body was a blunt triangle.

What stood out even more were the six extremely sharp spines arranged symmetrically along the edges of its body. These spines exuded a fierce aura. They were used to protect itself from enemy attacks. As for its coloration, it currently had a bright orange costume accentuated by shiny black. Its back was hidden, as it faced out of my reach. Typically, this type of spider has a bright yellow back.

There's one more thing you should know, it's very easy to tell the sex of these spiders. Males have super tiny bodies, while females are slightly larger. The one I encountered was a male. Oddly, I didn't find any females in the area I explored. All the ones I found were small for this species. Perhaps the female was busy with her young somewhere safer for small children.