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By FrannySopranny
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Uploaded Jul 26, 2019. Captured Jun 28, 2019 08:24 in Sky Islands Traverse, San Simon, AZ 85632, USA.
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The solifugid. These enigmatic creatures are weird, misunderstood, and often overlooked. Also known as camel spiders, they are neither camels nor spiders. Rather, they occupy their own branch on the arthropod family tree: they belong to a unique order of arachnids called the Solifugidae. There are approximately 1,100 species living in deserts around the world, although they are poorly studied due to their elusive nature.
Solifugids are rapacious predators with an imposing presence and huge, powerful chelicerae (jaws). Physically, they look like a nightmarish cross between a spider and a walrus that has horrified humans to the point of inspiring myths, internet memes, and unbelievable stories. In reality, humans have nothing to fear from solifugids. The species that have been studied lack venom glands, and the only pain they can inflict is from their bite, which would certainly hurt. However, lizards, mice, baby birds, spiders, scorpions, insects, snakes, bats, and other solifugids should fear them…a lot. Solifugids will eat nearly anything that they can catch and kill, and they do so with the enthusiasm of a 5-year old hyped up on sugar. Their chelicerae are strong enough to cut through small bones, and they use them to ruthlessly chew their prey to pulp. The prey is then liquefied with digestive enzymes and sucked up like a smoothie. Sounds gross, but solifugids have very high metabolisms and need to eat a lot. Their chelicerae are the perfect tool to enable them to capture and process food quickly.
Their fantastical chelicerae play other important roles as well. Solifugids can’t tolerate the hot sun; so, when shade isn’t available, they use their chelicerae to dig burrows. In addition to functioning as “steak” knives and shovels, the chelicerae are a crucial component of the savage way in which solifugids mate. When approached by a male, the female enters a hypnotic trance, thus allowing him to perform some fancy wrestling moves. He basically flips her onto her back, chews on her genital opening, transfers the spermatophore, and then gnaws on her some more. This process can get so heated that she may endure injuries, including “love amputations”. Finally, she awakens from her catatonic state and will furiously attack and eat the male, if he hasn’t already escaped. Such hostility definitely discourages him to attempt any post-mating cuddling. {Spotted in Arizona, USA by JungleDragon user, FrannySopranny} #JungleDragon Posted 6 years ago