Meet the Happyface Spider!

Little spiders hiding under leaves in the Hawaiian rain forests may not attract a lot of attention. However, one spider in particular is guaranteed to make you smile. Even if you don't smile, this little guy sure has a smile for you. Its scientific name is Theridion grallator; in Hawaiian, it's called lanalana, but most know it by the name happyface spider. This spider's tiny body measures just a quarter of an inch in length and displays a unique "perma-grin" on the back of its abdomen.

This unusual spider is bright yellow with a variety of markings on the back of its abdomen that sometimes resembles a smiling face. The pigmentation of the face-like patterns can be a combination of red, black and/or white, differing in form, size and placement against the translucent, yellow-colored body. The patterns on these spiders vary greatly; some spiders have rather elaborate markings, while others are quite simple or have no markings at all. It is virtually impossible to find two happyface spiders with identical markings.