EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Appreciating the Unknown

Unidentified spider on unidentified plant
Northern Territory, Australia

Explanation:  Sometimes it is important to remind ourselves that science is but one way of knowing the world.  

After a trek into the heart of Umbrawarra Gorge Nature Park in tropical Northern Territory of Australia, we broke stride and enjoyed the pure beauty of the land and its tiny inhabitants.  

I have no idea what species of spider and plant these are, and why the spider is even on the plant, perhaps to ambush other invertebrates?  It seems to have already caught some prey item.  Why was the prey there in the first place?  Did it play a role in pollinating the plant?  Why are the spider's legs so heavily spiked?  Why is its cephalothorax so long and tapered?  Has this spider and the plant even been identified by science?  Are they common or rare?  How did they get to this isolated gorge environment in the first place?

Ask questions.  This is the first step toward knowledge.  But we have already taken the path here by appreciating the beauty of the scene and all the unknown it offers.