Spiders: species, body structure, reproduction. How many legs, eyes does a spider have, how does it weave a web, how long does it live, is it an insect or not? Poisonous and non-poisonous spiders: a list with names. How many paws does a spider have or the most entertaining facts about creatures living in the web Sk

07.03.2020

Remember - absolutely any spider has 8 legs (they are also legs, legs). It would seem - you catch a spider and see how many legs it has. But not everything is so simple, because if you ask an enlightened person about how many legs a spider has and how many limbs, the answer will be 8 and 12, respectively! The latter include 4 pairs of legs, 1 pair of leg tentacles and 1 pair of chelicerae.

Arachnid limbs

In fact, many, when asking the question of how many limbs a spider has, mean only its paws. But the limbs include not only the legs, but also other parts of the body. This representative of the fauna has a feature that people often do not notice. It's all about the forelimbs, referred to as toe tentacles. Yes, they look like paws, but they have a different function, or rather, two:

Leg tentacles are clearly visible in large species. These include: tarantula terafoz blond, South Russian tarantula, nephila and others. In large arachnids, chelicerae can also be seen - strong protruding jaws located in front of the mouth. This part of the body is also a limb. Chelicerae allow you to defend yourself from opponents, pierce through the victim, and in some cases dig and tear minks in the ground.

Chelicerae are also needed to inject poison (for those who have it) into the victim, as if a scorpion were using its sting. The tentacles have another name - pedipalps. Males use them to fertilize females.

Why does it have 8 legs and not 6 like insects?

In order not to be confused in terms and concepts, something should be clarified. The spider is a separate class of the animal world and belongs to the arachnids. In other words - it does not apply to insects! In terms of body structure, he is closer to such creatures as scorpions.

All insects have 3 pairs of legs (6 legs in total). Various centipedes and other animals are not insects, they have their own class, like spiders. In insects, the legs are on the thoracic section, in spiders on the cephalothorax. In addition to external small differences from insects, arachnids have a fundamentally different internal structure of the body.

Despite the fact that spiders are a separate species, the question remains open - why does a spider need exactly 8 legs, and not 6? There is no direct answer, but reasonable conclusions can be drawn. Let's start the discussion from afar, with an explanation of the nature of the web.

Almost all spiders (about 40,000 species) can weave a web. It comes in different shapes, densities and sizes. But in all cases, its main property is to catch prey like a trap. After the prey is caught, the spider completes its work by wrapping the victim in a cocoon. After that, the spider is left to apply its poison and saliva to cook the victim, and then suck out the resulting porridge. Absorption occurs with the help of a special stomach, working on the principle of a pump.

So, in order to comfortably move along their own threads, arachnids need 4 pairs of legs. But what about those spiders that do not know how to make a web? Arachnids have a special body structure and “extra” legs they need even better body balance. Another function of the legs is the sense of smell. With the help of hairs, spiders recognize the prey for edibility.

In addition, spiders are offended by other predators, or “everyday” incidents happen to them, as a result of which the spiders lose their precious legs. Roughly speaking, they initially have “extra” legs, but with 4 spider legs it will be completely uncomfortable.

As you can see, the spider is one of the most amazing creatures on the planet due to its natural properties. It is good that at the same time they do not have enough brains to seize power on Earth.

How many legs a spider has, the answer is always unequivocal - 8. They are attached to the cephalothorax, consist of segments, and have a complex structure. The limbs end with a paw, with which they hold on to the surface. In some species of spiders, chelicerae are highly developed, which are almost as long as the forelimbs and perform almost the same functions. Outwardly, it looks like the animal has 10 limbs.

How many legs does a spider have

In the world there are 42 thousand living on different continents of the globe. They differ in size, lifestyle, appearance. You can always answer with accuracy that the spider has 8 legs. 4 on each side of the cephalothorax. All legs are walking, as they help the arthropod to move.

Leg structure:

pelvic joint;
swivel;
femoral part;
knee part;
shin;
calcaneal segment;
paw.

The last part often ends with a claw, is armed with spikes or looks like claws. The longest of all pairs of legs are the front ones, the hind legs are the fourth. The second are the shortest, the third are of medium length. The average size of walking legs is 2 cm, the longest legs are 15 cm, according to some sources - 35 cm.

Limb functions

Regardless of the species, the legs of the spider perform identical functions. The most important of them is walking, which allows the animal to move. The length, structure may differ slightly, so the speed and method of movement change. Spiders crawl slowly, run fast, walk sideways, jump long distances in length.

8 pairs of legs are covered with villi, which perform the functions of the organs of smell, touch. It is the limbs that help the animal navigate in space, hear smells, sounds. Being in an unknown area, the spider gently shifts its paws in front of itself, and only then begins an active movement.

The functions of the forelimbs of the spider are very diverse. With them, the predator captures, holds the prey, digs the ground to build holes, forms a cocoon, puts the cubs on its back, and then dumps them over a long distance.

Chelicerae and pedipalps

In some species of spiders, long chelicerae are formed on the anterior part of the cephalothorax, which are only slightly inferior to the forelimbs. They are often confused with legs, claiming that the spider has 10 paws. The situation is similar with pedipalps. The functions of chelicerae, pedipalps are to chew, grind, knead food. The first are located in front of the oral cavity, resemble claws, in rare cases end with a claw. Pedipalps are movable tentacles with which the spider kneads food. A photo of animals with the most developed chelicerae, pedipalps is located below.

Why does a spider have 8 legs

For everyday life, performing all the functions of an arachnid, 6 limbs are enough, as is the case with insects. The eighth pair is a reserve, in case the legs are torn off or injured in a fight with the enemy. In the wild, a lot of spiders live not with full-fledged 8 paws, but 7, 6, 5. When such specimens are found, doubts creep up on a person whether the experts counted correctly.

Spiders are all around us. Therefore, it is important to know which spiders are safe and which ones should be avoided.

Spiders are one of the oldest inhabitants of the planet, known from the Devonian and Carboniferous periods. It is believed that they appeared about 400 million years ago. The creations of the Paleozoic era had a characteristic web apparatus, but were more primitive. Their habitat is the widest - the entire planet, not counting the Antarctic.

Spider science: what is it called?

Araneology is the science of spiders, which is part of the branch of zoology - arachnology. Arachnology is the study of arthropods, invertebrates, arachnids. The origin of the name is ancient Greek.

Also, arachnology is the art of weather prediction based on observing the actions of spiders.

Spiders - what are: types

Researchers know about 42 thousand species of spiders. Spiders can be divided into three large suborders, which mainly differ in the structure of the jaws, more precisely, in the position of the chelicera relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Suborder Orthognatha

More often, representatives of this suborder are called migalomorphs. They are characterized by the presence of thick hairs, large size and primitive structure of the jaws - the claw is directed downwards and grows only on the upper jaw. The respiratory system is represented by lung sacs.

Most migalomorphs live in warm climates. Burrows suit themselves underground.

Orthognatha include:

tarantulas
funnel spiders
ctenizides
spiders - diggers

Suborder Araneomorpha

Almost all other spider species known to naturalists belong to the large Labidognatha or Araneomorpha group. They differ in that they have claws equipped with both jaws. The respiratory system is represented by the trachea.

Types of spiders that catch prey without a net:

crab spiders
jumping spiders
wolf spiders

Types of spiders using a trapping web:

linifid spiders
web spiders
funnel spiders, or brownies
centipede spiders
orb weaving spiders

Among the araneomorphic spiders, there are also those that are not able to produce cribellum - the substance from which spiders produce durable spider silk, and those who produce it.

Suborder Mesothelae

Lyphistiomorphic spiders are distinguished by the fact that the chelicerae are spaced to the side, and not directed downwards. This position is considered more evolutionarily advanced. But, this suborder is considered the most primitive, its traces were found in carbon deposits. Spiders have archaic lung sacs, four pairs of arachnoid warts that have not yet been shifted to the end of the abdomen. They live in earthen burrows that are closed with a lid. Signal threads diverge from minks. Although one species prefers caves, where it makes spider tubes on the walls.

These include:

arthropod spiders
primitive arthrolycosid spiders
primitive spiders arthromygalides

Spider: insect, animal or not?

Spiders belong to a type of animal - an order of arthropods in the arachnid class. Therefore, spiders are animals, not insects.

Differences between a spider and an insect:

Spiders have four pairs of legs, and insects have three pairs.
spiders do not have antennae characteristic of insects
many eyes, up to twelve pairs
the body of a spider always consists of a cephalothorax and an abdomen
some types of spiders have intelligence: they distinguish strangers from their own, can protect the owner, feel the mood of the owner, even dance to the music. Not a single insect can do this, unlike an animal.

Spider body structure

The body of spiders, covered with an outer skeleton of chitin, consists of two sections, which are connected by a small tube:

the cephalothorax is formed by the head merged with the chest
abdomen

cephalothorax

The cephalothorax is divided by a groove into two sections: head and chest. In the anterior head section are the eyes and jaws - chelicerae. In most spiders, the chelicerae are directed downwards, ending in a claw. The claws contain venom glands.
The lower part of the jaws - pedipalps, are used as palps and grasping elements. Between the pedipalps is a mouth that serves for sucking. In some mature males, the pedipalps are also cymbium - the copulatory apparatus.
Simple eyes are also found in the anterior head region.
Four pairs of jointed legs are also located on the cephalothorax in the thoracic region. Each spider leg consists of 7 segments. The last segment of each leg has two or more smooth or serrated claws.

Abdomen

The abdomen can have a shape: round, oval with processes, angular, elongated worm-shaped. On the abdomen are stigmas - breathing holes.
On the underside of the abdomen are arachnoid warts, in which the arachnoid glands are located. Near the base of the abdomen is the genital opening. In females, it is surrounded by a thickened chitinous plate, while in males, the genital opening looks like a simple gap.

Spiders can grow up to 10 cm in size, and their limb span can exceed 25 cm, it all depends on the species. The smallest representatives are only 0.4 mm in size.

Color, pattern depends on the structure of the scales and hairs covering the body, the presence of pigment and the type of spider.

How many legs does a spider have?

All spiders have four pairs of legs, which are located on the cephalothorax and are usually covered with hairs.
Each foot has crescent-shaped, comb-like claws. Between the claws, most often, there is a sticky pad - a claw-like appendage.
Web-weaving spiders have auxiliary serrated claws that allow the spider to move freely along the web.

How many eyes does a spider have?

Depends on the type. Some species have only two eyes, and some have up to twelve. Most species have 8 eyes, which are arranged in two rows.
In any case, the two front eyes are the main (master). They differ in structure from other side eyes: they have muscles to move the retina and do not have a reflective shell. Also auxiliary eyes are distinguished by the presence of light-sensitive retinal cells. The more of them, the sharper the spider's vision.
Some spiders can see as well as humans and distinguish colors. For example, jumping spiders. Night hunters, for example, sidewalker spiders, see perfectly not only at night, but also during the day. But wandering spiders see best.

How does a spider spin its web?

The thread of the web consists of many thin threads that the spider glues together with a special liquid that quickly hardens in air. Thanks to this, such a high strength of the web is achieved that spiders even travel with it, overcoming kilometers of distance.

The web can be dry, sticky, elastic - it all depends on the purpose of the thread.

Types of threads for cobwebs:

for cocoon
sticky thread
for moving
to confuse prey
thread for fastening

The design of the web depends on the method of hunting. Spiders use a thread that reflects ultraviolet rays, which most insects see, when weaving. Moreover, the spider weaves ultraviolet-reflecting threads in such a way that they look like flowers, which also reflect ultraviolet. Therefore, insects fly to the alluring and sweet flower, and fall into the web.

Stages of weaving a web:

The first spider releases a long thread. Such a thread is picked up by the air flow, rushes to the nearest branch and clings to it (Fig. 1, 2).
Then another free-hanging thread parallel to the previous one is woven. The spider moves to the middle of this thread, which is stretched under its weight, and weaves another thread in a downward direction until it finds the third support (Fig. 3).
On the support, the spider fastens the thread and a Y-shaped frame is obtained.
Next, a general contour is woven and a few more radii (Fig. 4).
At these radii, an auxiliary spiral is woven (Fig. 5). This whole frame is woven from a non-sticky thread.
Next, the spider weaves a second spiral with a sticky thread, towards the middle of the web from its edge.

Construction may take 1-2 hours.

How do spiders reproduce?

Males usually differ from females in size (the male is smaller), long legs, brighter coloration, the presence of pedipalps, which appear in males only during the last molt.
First, the males weave a special sperm web. Although some species are limited to a few stretched threads. Then the spider puts a drop of sperm on the web and fills the pedipalps with sperm, with the help of which it injects the sperm into the female's seminal receptacle. And goes in search of a female.
The spider finds the female by smell. Having found a suitable female, the male begins to cautiously approach. If the female is not disposed to courtship, then she attacks the spider, and may even eat it.
If the female looks at the male favorably, then the male begins to lure the female: he performs “wedding dances”, “tinkles” his feet, and brings prey. Having appeased the female, the spider carefully approaches her, touches her with the tips of her legs, then with her pedipalps and retreats. Also, the male "drums" on the substrate.
If the female does not show aggression and "drums" herself, then the male carefully approaches and brings his pedipalps to the female's genital opening. The act lasts a few seconds.
The male then runs away to avoid being eaten by the female. Although this happens quite rarely. A female can have several males in one season.
After 6-10 weeks, the female spins a cocoon, in which she lays up to 500 eggs. The female carefully guards the cocoon, holding it between the chelicerae. After another 5 weeks, spiders appear.

How long do spiders live?

Most spiders live for a year. But some species, such as Grammostol pulchra from tarantulas, can live 35 years. And this applies only to females, males even tarantulas live 2-3 years.

Non-poisonous spiders: a list with names

There are no completely non-venomous spiders. Poison is necessary in order to paralyze the victim, for protection.

But the venom of most spiders encountered is not dangerous. In some cases, it is so small that no one will notice, or redness and swelling will appear. Although in isolated cases, an allergy to spider venom is possible.

Safe for humanscommonspiders:

Common Harvester Spider. The size of the male is up to 7 mm, the female is up to 9 mm. Leggy. They hunt in the dark. They like to gather in a pile so that they seem to be a tuft of wool. Weaves a non-sticky web. They scare off enemies with the release of an unpleasant odor.

More than 5 thousand species. This is a small 5-6 mm spider that loves to bask in the sun and climbs glass perfectly. Good jumpers, they can jump up to 20 cm. Webs do not weave, they attack by jumping, they have excellent eyesight.

More than 1 thousand species. Size up to 25 mm - females, up to 10 mm - males. It has several white spots on its abdomen, forming a cross. They hunt with the help of a round hunting net, which can reach 1.5 m in diameter.

Size up to 10 mm. Hunts from an ambush, instantly grabs the victim and paralyzes her with poison. Networks do not weave. It has camouflage - if necessary, changes color from rich yellow to white. Those that hunt on the bark of trees are brown, and those in the leaves are variegated.

House spider or funnel spider, the most famous and widespread. Weaves a web in a secluded place: on the ceiling, in the corner, behind the closet. The male is up to 10 mm in size, the female is slightly larger - up to 12 mm. The color is yellow-gray with brown spots.

The size of the female is up to 10 mm, the male is slightly smaller. The color is light yellow, sometimes greenish. On the underside of the belly, elongated in the form of a seed, there are two light stripes. They build circular networks with large "holes" designed for centipede mosquitoes. The web is built near water, they know how to run on water.

The size of the male is up to 16 mm, the female is up to 12 mm. A rare spider, adapted to live in freshwater sluggish water. Can swim. The abdomen is covered with hairs to hold air, so under water the spider appears "silver". A “bell” filled with air spins in the water, where it lives: rests, leaves reserves, eats caught prey.

Spider-tarantula (tarantula). Large, up to 20 cm with a leg span. They have a beautiful variety of colors. Weave a web. Some species are completely harmless to humans; others may cause swelling, redness, itching, fever, and muscle cramps from the bite of others. No deaths have been described. It is they who are most often kept in homes, females of some species live up to 35 years. Very unpretentious in care. Bird-eaters can even be trained.

Top 10 most dangerous, poisonous, deadly spiders in the world, on the planet: a list with names

A resident of the tropics and subtropics of South America is the most dangerous spider according to the Guinness book. The size of the spider is 10-12.5 cm. It is fast, active, does not spin webs, and constantly moves in search of prey. Likes bananas. It feeds on other spiders, insects, lizards, birds.

In danger, it rears up, shows fangs. Deadly poison for weakened people, children. Without assistance, death from the bite of some individuals can occur in 20-30 minutes. A healthy adult usually has a severe allergic reaction.

The habitat is the deserts of South America, Africa. They can go without water and food for a long time - up to a year. Size taking into account the span of the paws up to 5cm.

When hunting, it burrows into the sand, lets it get closer and attacks from cover. The poison is a hemolytic-necrotic toxin that thins the blood and causes tissue decomposition. The victim dies from internal bleeding. No antidote has been created, but people die extremely rarely.

Habitat - Australia, within a radius of 100 km from Sydney. Size - up to 5 cm. Lives and hunts in stumps, under stones, on trees or open areas. The venom is harmless to most mammals, but deadly to humans and primates.

The spider, in danger, rears up, shows fangs. When bitten, it digs into the body of the victim and bites many times in a row. At the same time, it is difficult to tear it off. Poison is dangerous due to large doses. First, the state of health worsens: nausea, vomiting, sweating. Then - blood pressure decreases and blood circulation is disturbed, and in the end - the respiratory organs fail.

One of the most famous species. Habitat - Mexico, USA, southern Canada, New Zealand. They prefer to live in the desert and prairies. The size of the female is up to 1 cm. Females are more dangerous than males. If bitten by a female, then the antidote must be administered within 30 seconds.

Spider venom is 15 times stronger than rattlesnake venom. The bite site heals up to 3 months. The bite is characterized by acute pain, which after 1 hour spreads throughout the body, causing convulsions. Breathing is difficult, there is vomiting, sweating, headache, paresthesia of the limbs, fever.

It looks like a black widow. Originally lived in Australia, now spread throughout the world, with the exception of the poles. Up to 1 cm in size. It feeds on insects, flies, cockroaches, even lizards.

The poison is not able to kill a person, but after a bite, pain, cramps, nausea, increased sweating, and general weakness are felt.

6. Karakurt - "black worm"

From the genus of black widows, lives in the steppe and desert zones of Russia. The size of the male is up to 0.7 cm, the female is up to 2 cm. The most dangerous is the poison of females with red dots on their abdomen.

The bite of the spider itself is practically not felt, but after a few minutes, a sharp pain is felt, gradually spreading throughout the body. Convulsions begin, a red rash appears, the victim may feel causeless fear, depression. Without assistance, a bite can become fatal for 5 days.

The second name is violin spider. Habitat - northern Mexico, southern USA, California. Sizes of males - 0.6 cm, females - up to 20 cm. Not aggressive. Lives in dark, dry places: attics, sheds, closets.

The bite is almost insensitive. After a bite, the effect of the poison begins to be felt after it spreads throughout the body, in a day. The temperature rises, nausea, rash, pain throughout the body, tissue swelling appear. Tissue necrosis begins in 30%, organs sometimes fail, and only a few deaths have been recorded.

Initially inhabited only South America (Chile), now also lives in North America, found in Europe and Australia. Lives in abandoned places: sheds, woodpile, attics. Feeds on insects and other spiders. Size including paws - up to 4 cm.

The bite is painful, similar in strength to a cigarette burn. The poison has a necrotic effect. The victim feels severe pain. Renal failure may develop. Treatment takes many months, and 1 in 10 people die.

9 Wolf Spiders

Habitat - the whole world, except for Antarctica, but prefer warm countries. They live in bushes, in grassy meadows, in forests near water sources, in fallen leaves, under stones. Sizes - up to 30 mm. They feed on cicadas and bedbugs.

The bite of tropical species can cause prolonged pain, dizziness, swelling, severe itching, nausea, and rapid pulse. Their venom is not lethal.

Theraphosa Blond

10. Blonde Theraphosa

One of the largest spiders, the second name is the goliath tarantula. Body size - up to 9 cm, leg span - up to 25 cm. It feeds on toads, mice, small birds and snakes. It bites only in cases of danger.

The poison has a paralytic effect. But for a person it is fraught with only swelling and itching. When bitten by large animals and humans, venom is usually not injected. In case of danger, the tarantula shakes off sharp hairs from the back, which cause irritation of the mucous membranes.

Although there are many dangerous spiders, they rarely attack. Attack, as a rule, is associated with protection, and in ordinary life, spiders shy away, preferring secluded places for life. There are few deaths, but care is always needed in handling these animals.

Video. The strangest spiders and unusual spiders in the world

Many people classify spiders as insects. In fact, these arthropods are representatives of arachnids, separated into a separate class. Arachnids differ from other arthropods in body structure, behavior, and the complexity of the organization of the nervous system. The main difference between spiders and other arthropods is their inability to fly and the number of limbs. Insects always have six limbs, spiders have eight. This article will discuss the differences between legs and paws, the structure and length of the paws, as well as the functions of spider limbs.

Difference between legs and paws

The legs of the spider are articulated with the cephalothorax and have a complex structure. They are called walking, because with their help the spider moves.

The paw is the lower extreme part of the spider limb on which this arthropod rests. It also performs the function of attachment to the surface on which the spider is located, as it ends with one or more claws.

Important! Tarantula spiders have an increased instinct for self-preservation. In the event that they are disturbed, these arthropods defend themselves by combing the villi from their abdomen. The villi have an irritating effect on the mucous membranes and skin, so small children and pets should not come into contact with home-made tarantulas.

How many paws does a spider have and their function

The number of limbs in spiders is always eight, regardless of the type of arthropod. Eight legs also have a tarantula and a cross from the araneomorphic genus. The functions of spider limbs are varied. In addition to walking, spiders use their paws to dig holes, explore the soil, touch, and hold prey.
They can strike an opponent with their strong forelegs in a fight and use powerful chelicerae if the blows do not help. Females use their paws to hold the cocoon of eggs on the body, planting the young on their backs. Spiders-web spiders, weaving extensive and strong webs, measure the web with the help of their paws, fix it on the substrate, and level the tangled threads.

Their structure and length

In almost all species, the limbs are pubescent with small thin hairs. Their number on the lower sole of one paw reaches several thousand. In total, the leg consists of seven parts, also known as segments:

pelvic joint;
swivel;
femoral part;
knee part;
shin;
calcaneal segment;
paw.

There is another part, known as the claw segment, but it is not always separated from the paw, so it is not considered a true segment. Many spiders on the segments have sharp processes in the form of spikes that serve to comb and align the web, as well as hairs that perform the function of touch.

Did you know? Contrary to popular belief, tarantulas do not feed on birds. Goliaths gained fame as tarantulas in the 1700s after the publication of engravings by the German researcher Maria Merian, in which individual individuals eat hummingbird chicks that have fallen out of the nest.

Some species of scorpion-mimicking spiders have flattened front legs to mimic the presence of claws. The length and thickness of the limbs vary depending on the type of arthropod.
Normally, the first and fourth pairs of walking legs should be the longest. The third pair is considered the shortest in almost all individuals, the second has an average length. The minimum limb length is 2 cm, the maximum known is 35 cm. The following spider species have the most impressive leg length.

Did you know? Goliath tarantulas are considered one of the largest spiders in the world, but there is a record that even they cannot beat. The rarest spiders of the species Heteropod Maxim live in the mountainous terrain of Southeast Asia. They are occasionally found in the caves and grottoes of the province of Khammuan, from where they are taken to various terrariums. The leg span of this giant exceeds 30 cm.

The spider uses its legs not only to move on the substrate, but also for many other things. With their help, this arthropod digs holes, weaves nets, and fights rivals. The structure of the legs is the same for almost all existing types of spiders. They have a complex articulated structure, bend with the help of muscles, and unbend according to the principle of a hydraulic mechanism due to the hemolymph injected into them. It is the number of legs that will help you distinguish a spider from an insect at a glance.

To live, a spider must eat.

One of the most important topics in the science of keeping house spiders is the topic of feeding. Moreover, the importance of this topic extends to absolutely all types of home spiders - whether it be on, or on some other type of these creatures. Therefore, today we will try to learn about the tips and rules for feeding spiders, and about how what can you feed such your fluffy pets, and what is not recommended to give them.

If you are planning to start a spider or have already started it, then you need to familiarize yourself with this information without fail ...

What to feed a house spider

In nature, these predators feed on everything that moves, taking into account their size and measuring their capabilities. Living in your terrarium, which you equipped for your pet spider, such a pet is left to rely solely on your choice in matters of its nutrition. So, we would recommend that you consider feeding options for your cute insect food spider. Such as Argentine, marble, Turkmen and other types of cockroaches (except for domestic ones - why? Read about this below).

What not to feed spiders

After the point that you can give food to spiders, naturally we suggest that you consider the point that you can not give them food. So, despite the fact that there is an opinion that a spider can be fed with small vertebrates and even birds (they say, a tarantula spider, there’s nothing to think about what to eat), it’s still not worth feeding them with frogs, mice and birds. The fact is that, as practice shows, very often, after such feeding, spiders begin to get sick, and then die altogether. Indigestion, or some other reason, but we would not recommend taking risks.

Also, you can not feed spiders with domestic cockroaches, and even more so release them to hunt them. Cockroaches can turn out to be sick, or migrate to you from neighbors, being already poisoned, and after such a noble dinner, your spider can stretch out its paws. Oh, you don't want that to happen, do you?

It is also not recommended to give the spider insects that you yourself have caught on the street. It is, of course, good that you take care of your pet so much that you have become a breadwinner for him, but, like cockroaches, such insects can be sick or poisoned, and ... goodbye spider.

If it so happened that your spider was left without food, and you don’t have the opportunity to buy such food for him at the pet store (weekends, holidays) so that your pet does not starve, you can still go on a “hunt”. True, collect insects as far as possible from the road. After that, inspect them and rinse with water. If possible - they can be quarantined - if not, hope for the best and feed your spider.

As for the ban on feeding frogs, newborn mice, then, this is still heavy food for your pet and he will eat it for several days, and during this time it will have time to decompose in a warm terrarium and fill with cadaveric poisons. If you still can't wait to see how your spider will cope with the mouse - make sure that the animal is healthy, and its size does not exceed the size of the spider itself. Since in such an unequal battle it is not known who will emerge victorious.

Do not give spiders other predatory insects as food. For example, praying mantises, centipedes or other spiders. In this case, it will no longer be clear who you feed and who acts as a live dinner. So, remember - it is better to feed spiders at home with fodder insects.

How often should a spider be fed?

The frequency of feeding depends on the age of the spider.

Well, such nuances as what can be given for food and what cannot be - we have understood. Now, we propose to talk about the frequency of feeding. So, for an adult spider, the following schedule will be the optimal diet - 1-2 times a week. If you see that the spider does not finish his meal and does not look hungry, you can reduce the frequency of feeding and try to feed him once a week. In general, you should be guided by the appetite of your pet: if he wants to eat - let him eat, if he doesn’t want to - you shouldn’t force him.

By the way, you can determine if the spider has eaten by the size of its abdomen, if it has increased by 2-3 times than before the start of the meal, then it is better to drive the spider away from the food and take its remains.

Some spiders are real gluttons, and do not control their appetite. But in this case, it is not obesity that threatens them, but a rupture of the abdomen, which, in principle, is no longer treated. So, you should be the nutritionist for your spider.

Small spiders need to be fed more often - they have a growing body, respectively, and their portions should be smaller. Well, it is strictly forbidden to give them live "large" game in the form of mice, frogs.

When not to feed a spider

Sometimes it will be good for your spider to go on a diet. So, for example, immediately after the end of the molt, it is not recommended to feed it. In order to find out when it will be possible to start giving him food, use this simple formula: what was the molt in a row (it is better to write such information in a separate notebook so as not to be mistaken) + 3-4 days to it, in order for the body of the spider to get stronger.

If for several days in a row you offer food to the spider, but he stubbornly refuses it, you should not be too annoying. Give him the opportunity to starve. Some spiders may not even eat for several months. For them, this is quite normal.

And by the way, remember the golden rule - food remains (alive or already dead) must be removed from the terrarium without fail. Get into this good habit. Then, for example, you will avoid such unpleasant situations as the birth of small cockroaches in your terrarium (if the female cockroach was pregnant) and their forays into your territory through the ventilation holes.

What to feed little spiders

We have already written about small spiders need to be fed more often, and their portions should be small. But where to get such small insects? If there is a shortage of this in the nearest pet store, we can help you out with practical advice.

Get ordinary large insects and ... cut them into small pieces. This is especially convenient with flour worms and zophobos. So, for example, one flour worm can be enough for lunch for 6-7 spiderlings.

Some sources on spider science and the content of such write that spiderlings can be fed with bloodworms - this is both convenient and practical. However, we would not recommend that you get involved in such a diet. Yes, the spiders on the bloodworm eat off, begin to molt, but since the bloodworm itself contains practically nothing but water in its composition, your spider on such “grubs” is unlikely to grow up healthy, large and beautiful. So, think about what you want - convenience for yourself or health for your spider?

The question of the number of spiders living on our planet has been of interest to scientists for more than a dozen years. Expeditions were created to explore hidden places and look for rare species.

After the work done, it became known the approximate number of varieties of spiders living on Earth. According to the latest data, scientists have more than 40,000 species.

Each species has its subspecies and therefore the nominal amount is several times greater than the originally set value. If you try to count all the subspecies of the arachnid genus, then the figure will exceed the seven-digit number.

Types of spiders living in different parts of the globe.

The most basic types of considered animals of the class of arachnids include:

Tarantula spiders of particular interest to spider lovers. They are more often than other varieties chosen for keeping at home. In turn, they are divided into dangerous poisonous and completely safe for humans representatives of the class.

Spiders living at home, having a very small size and not capable of harming a person even if they bite. There is a very small percentage of individuals that pose a threat to human health. Most of them are harmless creatures.

Poisonous spiders that are dangerous to humans

Different types of spiders are endowed with individual qualities that help them survive in the cruel world of the wild. Undoubtedly, representatives of arachnids predominate in this detachment, having a special secretory fluid that can kill any insect or large animal.

Spiders belonging to the group of poisonous. Among the most dangerous of them are rightfully hermits, who live far in the tropical forests and can kill a person when bitten. These are very rare specimens, but still they have a place to be in the fauna of forests.

six or eight

We will not torment you with a long wait and will immediately answer the question of how many legs a spider has. Eight! Yes, not six, like insects, but eight. Therefore, spiders are not insects. For these eight-legged creatures, a special class has been allocated - arachnids. In addition to spiders, this includes eight-legged ticks. But that's another story, and we'll get back to the spiders.

Brief introduction

The structure of the spider is such that the very first pair of its legs are the so-called foot tentacles. They are similar to walking feet, but are not used for this. They have other features:

firstly, they help the spider to feel the road, carefully probing it;
secondly, with the help of them, he brings food to his mouth.

The strong jaws (chelicerae) in front of its mouth help the spider in several ways:

firstly, it is protection from enemies;
secondly, with them he pierces through his victim;
thirdly, chelicerae help him to break minks in the ground.

The internal structure of the spider, unlike many insects, has a complex structure. In his body are arachnoid, salivary and poisonous (in some species of spiders) glands. The latter are responsible for the production of the poison that the spider needs for hunting and self-defense. The poison is injected into the victim through the chelicerae, immediately killing it. Then he injects a drop of saliva into it, capable of turning the insides of an insect into mush. When the "lunch" is ready, the spider literally sucks all the juices out of the victim due to a special sucking stomach that acts as a pump.

Why does he need eight paws

For everyday life, spiders, in principle, have enough six legs. The fourth pair of legs is, so to speak, a "reserve" in case he loses one or two legs. These creatures do not have regeneration (restoration of lost fragments), which means that in the event of a loss of a limb, they are forced to remain scanty for life. But does it interfere with their normal life? We think not, and here's why. French zoologists helped figure it out. They noticed that "incomplete" spiders are not nonsense for nature. Approximately ten percent of individuals live without one or two legs, and this does not prevent them from hunting, defending themselves and reproducing. From which it should be concluded that the "reserve" paws are the salvation of the spider in moments of danger. Apparently, when nature "thought" how many legs a spider should have in its daily life, it "came" to the conclusion that the energy needed to regenerate lost body parts is more needed by spiders in other areas of their life - for hunting, reproduction, growth and so on. It turns out that from birth, these creatures are endowed with an "extra" pair of legs! These are the wonders of nature! But if the spider loses more than three legs, then it really becomes a well-deserved "disabled person". Such individuals weave a poor-quality web, which means short-lived residents in nature ... And in general, stop counting other people's paws! How many legs a spider has - all of it!

Hunting savvy

Interestingly, no matter how many legs a spider has - six, seven or eight, it never sticks to its own web. Do you know why? Yes, because he, excuse me, is not a fool to walk on sticky and circular cobwebs intended for his potential victims. It runs along the (radial) smooth threads coming from the center! And he determines the location of his victim in a huge web by touching the threads: which of them is stretched, that is the prey!

Despite the fact that today we are surrounded by millions of species of all kinds of insects, both large and completely invisible to the eye, many people are completely unaware of how these insects actually look, that is, in an enlarged form. For example, about how many paws a spider has, children are not told either in kindergarten or at school, and in the future a person simply does not think about it. Therefore, the structure of the body of insects remains a mystery to many, and when one has to face some of the nuances of this kind, stupor often begins. Well, now let's try to figure out what a spider looks like, and what are the features of its many legs.

Brief anatomical theory

The answer to the question of how many paws a spider can have is only one: he has eight of them. This number does not depend on the size of the insect, on its species or location. It is worth noting that often, looking at the image of a spider, many have as many as ten paws, but these calculations are erroneous. It's just that people confuse the pedipalps, which are located in the nose of the insect, with an extra pair of legs.

In fact, the spider uses these two limbs in order to rake in food, search with the help of the receptors that are located on them, the safest way to move, and also to control balance. But such insects never use pedipalps as auxiliary limbs for movement.

Why does a spider have so many legs?

If the information about how many paws a spider has is more or less familiar to many, then the actions that this insect performs with their help are far from known to everyone. First, let's take a look at what exactly all four pairs of legs are, and then, based on this, we will consider what opportunities this gives the insect.

Spiders are arthropods, so all of their legs are tentacles of some kind. They contain all kinds of receptors for smell, touch and many others. The paws of a spider simultaneously perform the function of movement, recognition of danger, search for food and weaving a web. Parents-arthropods with the help of their tentacles hold the cocoon, and if necessary, transfer it to another place. That is why spiders are the owners of such legs, which simultaneously serve them as hands, nose, vision, and even the so-called "sixth sense".

A spider without a paw is the same full-fledged spider

Not so long ago, an experiment was conducted in France that proved that arthropods that have lost one or two of their limbs do not notice this loss. For this, full-fledged insects were planted in one container, in which all paws are present. In the other, they turned out to be gathered, which for some reason lost one or two legs. As a result, the arthropods in both containers performed web-weaving, foraging and other life cycles in the same way.

The fact is that the rear pair of legs is given to spiders as if in reserve. They use them if they lose their front tentacles. By the way, this phenomenon occurs in nature too often, so you can easily find a spider in your country house, which will be the owner of only seven or even six limbs.

The longer the legs, the scarier the spider. Is it so?

Most of us have encountered insects such as long legged spiders that are gray in color and move very, very quickly. They scare someone terribly, for someone they seem like specks of dust that can easily be blown off the spot. However, few people know that these arthropods are not spiders at all.

In science, they are called "haymakers", and in the people they are simply called "false spiders". Recognizing a haymaker and distinguishing it from a spider is very simple. The first have a dissected abdomen, which almost completely merges with the cephalothorax. Spiders, on the other hand, have a complete tummy, which is connected to the head by a thin membrane.

Conclusion

Knowing how many paws a spider has, how it uses them and what are the features of their work, you can already look at these insects with less fear, realizing that they are not as terrible as they seem. And that in fact, only those arthropods that live in the southern regions and have poison in their pedipalps can cause harm.

Everyone treats spiders differently. But most often these predatory, and often aggressive creatures cause only fear in a person, or maybe even some kind of disgust, someone will examine them with curiosity and interest, and someone will want to move away from that place as soon as possible, where the meeting with the spider took place.

But who really thoroughly studies these creatures, his life is arachnophiles, who just love and admire these creatures by studying them, doing all the necessary research. They are also engaged in their breeding, and a thorough study of their structure and life.

And yet these strange and, at times, incredibly scary creatures, which have existed since antiquity, are of interest not only to scientists, but often to ordinary people who look at them with curiosity. But most often the question arises that worries all people, regardless of age (children and adults), about how many legs a spider has. And there is a lot of controversy surrounding this.

In order to receive exact answer to the question about how many paws a spider has, you can use one of two methods:

Of course, the second method is the fastest, since all you need to do is catch the spider and simply count the number of legs it has. But you can make a mistake!

Unfortunately, not all people know that spiders have more than just legs, but also powerful mandibles, which are usually inherent in predators. Very often they are also considered, like paws. It is known that the spider uses these mandibles to capture and then hold its prey. They are located on the head. But the legs of the representatives of spiders are located on the middle segment of the body, which is also called the cephalothorax.

As for the abdomen itself, it is completely free and there are no limbs on it, except for gill legs and then atrophied. But these legs have changed so over time that they have become ordinary spider warts.

If you go looking for information that is always available, you should start with toxicology. It is known that sometimes spiders are attributed to insects, but that's not true! If they are mistaken for insects, then they should only have 3 pairs of legs. But it is known that these creatures belong to a class separate from insects, which, in their characteristics, are much closer to scorpions.

If we exclude all errors and misconceptions in this matter, then you can easily find the answer to the most important question of how many legs a spider has. It is known that they, regardless of species, have exactly 4 pairs of legs.

The structure of the spider legs and their function

So, a spider has 8 legs or 4 pairs of legs. Each of its legs consists of 7 segments:

The paws of any representative of the spider web are very sensitive. On them there is a huge number of hairs - receptors. It is the legs that help determine when the victim is approaching or in danger from any enemy. It is the paws that help representatives of the arachnids to recognize odors and navigate well in space. And the main function of the paws is to move, dig minks and shelters, weave webs, defend themselves from enemies, and attack their victims.

Experiments on spiders

At all experiment was recently in France, during which scientists tried to figure out what would happen to a spider if it suddenly lost one or two of its legs. It turned out that they did not even notice their loss.

The experiment was carried out as follows: several spider representatives were planted in a small container, in which all the paws are in place. Spiders were planted in another container, which for various reasons lost one or two of their legs. They were watched for some time. The scientists found that the weaving of the web, and obtaining food, and other vital procedures, the spiders in both containers performed the same way.

But the results of this study can be easily explained: nature itself took care of spiders and gave them a back pair of legs as a reserve, in case the front legs were suddenly lost. By the way, there are a lot of such individuals. But unfortunately, it is almost impossible to meet a spider with 4 or 5 legs. Usually such a loss can threaten him with the loss of life.

spider leg length

The length of the legs of representatives of the spider web depends on its type. This is usually the result of how a species has adapted to survive under certain conditions of its existence. If we make a certain pedestal of record holders for the length of the legs, then the first six positions would be occupied by the following types of spider representatives:

Very often in life a person can meet a spider with long legs and a gray body color, which moves rather quickly. Of course, each person reacts differently to them.: someone simply does not notice them, and someone is very scared. But not everyone knows that this arthropod is not a spider at all, although it is very similar in appearance to it. The people called him "false spiders." In science, they are also called "haymakers". It is very easy to distinguish them, knowing the main distinguishing features: the abdomen of such a "spider" is dissected, it almost completely merges with the cephalothorax. But in spiders, the tummy is completely solid and it connects to the head with a thin membrane.