[x]

Browse More Like This

More from ~melvynyeo

View Gallery · View Prints

Featured in Groups:

Not currently featured in any groups.

Details

Submitted: February 13, 2012
Image Size: 269 KB
Resolution: 960×640

Link

Thumb

Statistics

Comments: 31
Favourites: 92 [who?]
Views: 1,103 (4 today)
Downloads: 71 (0 today)

[x]

Twinkle Twinkle Thwaitesia sp.by ~melvynyeo

Photography / Macro / Nature

Beautiful spider with metal flakes found during a night macro trip. Here's another species with yellow metallic flakes [link]

Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms. Spiders are found worldwide on every continent except for Antarctica, and have become established in nearly every habitat with the exception of air and sea colonization. As of 2008, approximately 40,000 spider species, and 109 families have been recorded by taxonomists; however, there has been confusion within the scientific community as to how all these families should be classified, as evidenced by the over 20 different classifications that have been proposed since 1900.

While the venom of a few species is dangerous to humans, scientists are now researching the use of spider venom in medicine and as non-polluting pesticides. Spider silk provides a combination of lightness, strength and elasticity that is superior to that of synthetic materials, and spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants to see if these can be used as silk factories. As a result of their wide range of behaviors, spiders have become common symbols in art and mythology symbolizing various combinations of patience, cruelty and creative powers.

Source [link]