The spider of the month (SOTM) is this crowned lynx spider (Hamataliwa sp.; Oxyopidae), taken by Robert Wienand in Marloth Park. This is his second SOTM; the previous one was also a crowned lynx spider. Robert had this to say:
“This beautiful and very photogenic Hamataliwa species was found in Marloth Park sitting dead still next to a braai where it literally looked like a bird dropping at first glance. A friend alerted me to this one and I was fortunate to have it allow me really close to take several macro shots and from various angles. Stacking was my only option for getting good depth of field, and upon editing revealed a wonderful face with ‘ears’, ‘nostrils’, and two little ‘horns’.”
