The pointed ridges on the abdomen of the female spider are believed to render less appealing to eat to predators. The spines presumably hurt the mouth of the predator, making the Spined Micrathena Spider not worth the meal. The black, brown, and white coloration may act as camouflage since this species resides in dense forests where specks of light may be all that gets through to the forest floor. That said, colors vary slightly per individual. Some are very brown; others are only black and white.