A tiny spider in China's Yunnan rain forest has stunned scientists by seeming to be a curled dead leaf hanging from a strand of silk. Researchers say the orb-weaver may be a previously unknown species — and the first spider known to mimic a leaf this way.

The disguise is so convincing that even experts nearly overlooked it.

What happened?

During an evening trek, arachnologist Matjaz Kuntner noticed what looked like spider silk pinning a leaf to a branch. But on closer inspection, he realized the "leaf" was actually a spider. A clip made the rounds on Reddit. 

This dead leaf that isn't quite a leaf, this is leaf-mimicking spider (Eriovixia gryffindori), discovered in 2015.
byu/Wooden-Journalist902 inDamnthatsinteresting

(Click here if the embedded video doesn't work.)

The animal is brownish green, with a teardrop-shaped body, vein-like markings, and a long, neck-like connection between its front body and abdomen. According to a report by National Geographic, researchers also say it appears to use silk to pull dead leaves upward and hide among them.

So far, the team has found only two specimens: an adult female and a juvenile. Early genetic analysis suggests the pair may belong to a new species, though Kuntner said more research is needed before scientists can confirm that.

Why does it matter?

The discovery offers a striking example of masquerading, a survival strategy in which an animal does not simply blend into its surroundings but convinces other creatures that it is something else entirely. In this case, the spider appears to imitate forest litter so effectively that predators — and even scientists — may pass it right by.

The findings suggest biodiversity may still be hiding in plain sight, especially in rainforests. Rare wildlife encounters often happen because people are moving through, studying, and sometimes altering the habitats many species rely on.

What's being done?

Scientists are working to determine whether this is truly a species new to science.

"If there's a web, there's a spider," Kuntner said. "I was so taken aback."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.