What does this new spider species, Taczanowskia waska, disguise itself as?

Taczanowskia waska, a newly described spider from Ecuador's Amazon, disguises itself as Gibellula, a parasitic fungus that normally grows on and kills spiders, both by closely resembling its fruiting body in appearance and by staying still in the same leaf-underside locations that fungus typically favors. This unusual mimicry was striking enough that the research team initially mistook the living spider for the very fungus that preys on spiders like it.

The spider isn't disguising itself as a dead leaf or as a bird dropping, two forms of camouflage seen in various other insects and spiders — its specific and highly unusual strategy is mimicking a deadly fungal parasite instead.

Scientists believe this disguise may protect the spider from predators, since animals that instinctively avoid a fungus-infected, likely diseased-looking spider would also tend to avoid one that simply looks like it's infected, even when it's perfectly healthy.