melvynyeo on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/melvynyeo/art/Huntsman-Spider-eating-Centipede-559383252melvynyeo

Deviation Actions

melvynyeo's avatar

Huntsman Spider eating Centipede

By
Published:
28.5K Views

Description

Taken at night in Singapore forest.

Quote from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsman…
Sparassids are eight-eyed spiders. The eyes appear in two largely forward-facing rows of four on the anterior aspect of the prosoma. Many species grow very large – in Laos, Heteropoda maxima males attain a legspan of 250–300 mm (about 10–12 in). Persons unfamiliar with spider taxonomy commonly confuse large species with tarantulas, but huntsman spiders can generally be identified by their legs, which, rather than being jointed vertically relative to the body, are twisted in such a way that in some attitudes the legs extend forward in a crab-like fashion.

On their upper surfaces the main colours of huntsman spiders are inconspicuous shades of brown or grey, but many species have undersides more or less aposematically marked in black-and-white, with reddish patches over the mouthparts. Their legs bear fairly prominent spines, but the rest of their bodies are smoothly furry. They tend to live under rocks, bark and similar shelters, but human encounters are commonly in sheds, garages and other infrequently-disturbed places. The banded huntsman (Holconia) is large, grey to brown with striped bands on its legs. The Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus) is larger still, brown and hairy. The tropical or brown huntsman (Heteropoda) is also large and hairy, with mottled brown, white and black markings. The eyesight of these spiders is not nearly as good as that of the Salticidae (jumping spiders). Nevertheless, their vision is quite sufficient to detect approaching humans or other large animals from some distance.

Like most spiders apart from the Uloboridae and some Liphistiidae and Holarchaeidae,[6] Sparassidae use venom to immobilise prey and to assist in digestion. They have been known to inflict defensive bites, but are not widely regarded as dangerous to healthy humans.[7] Huntsman spiders are widely considered beneficial because they feed on insect pests such as cockroaches and crickets.

There have been reports of members of various genera such as Palystes,[8] Neosparassus (formerly called Olios) and several others, inflicting bites. The effects vary, including local swelling and pain, sometimes with nausea, headache, vomiting, irregular pulse rate, and heart palpitations, indicating some systemic neurological effects, especially when the bites were severe or repeated. However, the formal study of spider bites is fraught with complications, including unpredictable infections, dry bites, shock, and nocebo effects. An investigation into spider bites in Australia, in which Sparassidae figured prominently, did not note any severe or unusual symptoms resulting from confirmed bites from some of the most notorious genera, particularly Neosparassus.

It is not always clear what provokes Sparassidae to bite people, but it is known that female members of this family will aggressively defend their egg sacs and young against perceived threats. The rarity of bites on various body parts suggests that most are accidental or incidental, resulting from inadvertent handling.[2] Bites from Sparassids usually do not require hospital treatment. In particular no necrosis was reported in the works cited here.
Image size
1200x800px 888.13 KB
Make
Canon
Model
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Shutter Speed
1/125 second
Aperture
F/16.0
Focal Length
100 mm
ISO Speed
125
Date Taken
Aug 7, 2015, 1:10:01 AM
Sensor Size
7mm
© 2015 - 2024 melvynyeo
Comments99
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Snarrly-ii's avatar
oh yeah, way to go spidey