XPost: sci.bio.entomology.misc   
      
   There was this TV-show about spiders, claiming remarable 'intelligence'   
   [planning & deception] from these minute spiders.   
      
   And we're aware of the debate about brain-size re. IQ.   
      
   I've got good close-up sight, to the extent of easily seeing the   
   'lobster barbs' on cockroaches legs.   And when I move closer to   
   watch the small ants, they stop and raise their 'antlers'. Apparently   
   they 'smell' by breath.   
      
   When I wanted to move one, I wet my finger and 'scooped' it up.   
   When it got off of my wet finger, its 'antlers' were stuck together,   
   so it took several seconds, with it's front legs un-sticking them.   
   Then it continued grooming them, just like a dog.   
      
   When I put a cockroach corpse just off their path, they smell/sense   
   it and the first one veers of 'in surprise' and 'stops to THINK' before   
   approaching. The next one approaches immediately, after   
   communicating with the first one.   
      
   Yes I know the chemical scent simplistic explanation.   
      
   But I can't see much difference between their behaviour and   
   say lions, despite the vast difference in brain size.   
      
   The neuron/synapsis ...etc theory seems not to explain this.   
      
   Comments ?   
      
   == Chris Glur.   
      
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