You can meet the side-walking spider in any part of Europe. They move exclusively sideways, which is why they got their name. It won’t be easy to see them - thanks to their colors, they are like chameleons able to blend into their environment. They prefer to live among flowering grasses, which allows them to catch butterflies, flies and bees that make up the diet of these spiders. Depending on the weather, they can change their place of residence. During the rainy season, they prefer to seek shelter under the wide leaves of plants.
Body structure and coloring
Females are twice the size of males and can reach a length of 1-1.2 cm. Modified forelimbs allow spiders to move quickly and instantly pull food into their “embraces.” The color of these amazing creatures comes in almost all shades - white, pink, lemon, brown, green, red. The brightest representatives of this species live inside flower buds. Darker ones, with spots and patterns, live on the bark of trees and the ground. The white sidewalk spider is able to merge with the petals, as it has not only a milky body, but also eyes of the same shade.
Description of appearance
There are 170 genera and more than 2,000 species of sidewalkers around the world. They differ from other types of spiders in their forelimbs. Two pairs of front legs are much longer than the others, turned upside down. Reminds me of crab claws. Thanks to this feature, the spider can walk sideways in different directions.
Females reach a size of 1.2 cm, males are half that size. The color is very different - green, pink, yellow, white, red, brown. Most colorful species live in flower buds, blending in to match the petals. The crab is brown and dark in color and lives in the bark of trees and forest floors. A photo of the sidewalk spider is located below.
Peculiarities
Sidewalk spiders do not spin webs to catch flying insects. Female spiders make sacs from this sticky substance into which they lay their eggs. They also use webs to descend from taller plants to lower ones. But the most amazing thing is that with the onset of autumn they use it as a means of transport. Having ridden the bags, they are able to go on a long journey with the first gust of wind. In warm and dry weather, they cover a distance of several kilometers. Sometimes you can see a whole family of spiders on one web. To stop at a place they like, they simply shoot a web onto the nearest tree or plant.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: White Karakurt
The white karakurt belongs to the arachnid arthropods, is a representative of the order of spiders, the family of web spiders, classified in the genus of the black widow, the species white karakurt.
Scientists do not have reliable information about the origin of these representatives of arthropods. The most ancient finds of the distant ancestors of the Karakurts date back to the Carboniferous Age, which is about four hundred million years ago. They are rightfully considered representatives of some of the most ancient living creatures preserved on earth.
Video: White karakurt
Some scientists suggest that the most ancient ancestors of modern poisonous spiders, including karakurts, lived in water. However, during the Paleozoic period, they moved into thickets of huge grass and impenetrable bushes. In thickets of dense vegetation they hunted various insects. Later, spiders appeared that could weave webs and entangle eggs with them for protection.
Interesting information. The strength of the poisonous substance of karakurt venom is 50 times greater than the strength of karakurt venom and 15 times the strength of rattlesnake venom.
About two hundred and fifty million years ago, arthropods appeared that learned to weave webs to create traps. With the onset of the Jurassic period, spiders learned to weave multiple webs and hang them in dense foliage. To make webs, arthropods used a long, thin tail.
Spiders spread widely across the earth during the formation of Pangnea. Later they began to be divided into species depending on the region of their habitat.
Hunter Tactics
Despite their size, spiders are not afraid to attack larger insects. Like real hunters, they can sit in ambush for a long time, waiting for prey with open paws. As soon as a butterfly or wasp lands on a flower, they instantly grab them and bite them in vulnerable places. Having injected the poison, the flower spider begins to eat. However, if a hunter has not eaten for a long time, then his behavior changes radically. He runs restlessly through the leaves, looking for prey and moving his paws in anticipation of lunch. At the sight of an approaching insect, the spider freezes with its legs wide open. From the outside it seems that he opened friendly arms. Thanks to their coloring, they manage to remain unnoticed, and the tactic brings the desired result.
Reproduction
In early June, the mating season begins for sidewalk spiders. Males, like real gentlemen, court the female. If she considers the candidate worthy, then mating occurs. After a short break, the procedure is repeated, and after a while the female attaches cocoons wrapped in a web to the back of the leaves. Although this species does not tend to live surrounded by relatives, there are cases when a whole family of spiders lives on one plant.
Classification[ | ]
In the family of side-walking spiders there are 175 genera with 2103 species[4]:
- Acentroscelus
- Acrotmarus
- Alcimochthes
- Amyciaea
- Angaeus
- Ansea
- Aphantochilus
- Apyretina
- Ascurisoma
- Australomisidia
- Avelis
- Bassaniana
- Bassaniodes
- Boliscodes
- Boliscus
- Bomis
- Bonapruncinia
- Boomerangia
- Borboropactus
- Bucranium
- Camaricus
- Carcinarachne
- Cebrenninus
- Ceraarachne
- Cetratus
- Coenypha
- Coriarachne
- Corynethrix
- Cozyptila
- Cymbacha
- Cymbachina
- Cynathea
- Cyriogonus
- Deltoclita
- Demogenes
- Diaea
- Dietopsa
- Dimizonops
- Diplotychus
- Domatha
- Ebelingia
- Ebrechtella
- Emplesiogonus
- Epicadinus
- Epicadus
- Epidius
- Erissoides
- Erissus
- Felsina
- Firmicus
- Geraesta
- Gnoerichia
- Haedanula
- Haplotmarus
- Hedana
- Henriksenia
- Herbessus
- Heriaesynaema
- Heriaeus
- Heterogriffus
- Hewittia
- Hexommulocymus
- Holopelus
- Ibana
- Indosmodicinus
- Indoxysticus
- Iphoctesis
- Isala
- Isaloides
- Lampertia
- Latifrons
- Ledouxia
- Lehtinelagia
- Leroya
- Loxobates
- Loxoporetes
- Lycopus
- Lysiteles
- Massuria
- Mastira
- Mecaphesa
- Megapyge
- Metadiaea
- Micromisumenops
- Misumena
- Misumenoides
- Misumenops
- Misusesus
- modysticus
- Monaeses
- Musaeus
- Mystaria
- Narcaeus
- Nyctimus
- Ocyllus
- Onocolus
- Ostanes
- Oxytate
- Ozyptila
- Pactactes
- Pagida
- Parabomis
- Parasmodix
- Parastrophius
- Parasynema
- Pasias
- Pasiasula
- Peritraeus
- Phaenopoma
- Pharta
- Pherecydes
- Philodamia
- Philogaeus
- Phireza
- Phrynarachne
- Physoplatys
- Pistius
- Plancinus
- Plastonomus
- Platyarachne
- Platythomisus
- Poecilothomisus
- Porropis
- Pothaeus
- Prepotelus
- Pseudamyciaea
- Pseudoporrhopis
- Pycnaxis
- Pyresthesis
- Reinickella
- Rejanellus
- Rhaeobates
- Runcinia
- Runcinioides
- Saccodomus
- Scopticus
- Sidymella
- Simorcus
- Sinothomisus
- Smodicinodes
- Smodicinus
- Soelteria
- Spilosynema
- Stephanopis
- Stephanopoides
- Stiphropella
- Stiphropus
- Strigoplus
- Strophius
- Sylligma
- Synaemops
- Synalus
- Synema
- Tagulinus
- Tagulis
- Takachihoa
- Talaus
- Tarrocanus
- Taypaliito
- Tharpyna
- Tharrhalea
- Thomisops
- Thomisus
- Titidiops
- Titidius
- Tmarus
- Tobias
- Trichopagis
- Ulocymus
- Uraarachne
- Wechselia
- Xysticus
- Zametopias
- Zametopina
- Zygometis
Some species: Lysiteles bhutanus
,
Misumena vatia
,
Oxytate bhutanica
,
Heriaeus hirtus
.
Is it dangerous for humans?
The venom of this predator is very toxic and can instantly paralyze the victim. But fortunately for man, his concentration is not strong enough. Contrary to popular belief, representatives of this species, which are brightly colored, do not themselves attack people. They sense danger very well and will not take risks, knowing that they will lose this battle. Don't be afraid if a spider bites a pet - your pet most likely won't even notice. But smaller representatives of the fauna may feel a slight malaise and disorientation. Mice, rats, hamsters and other rodents should not be kept near sidewalk spiders.
Keeping at home
This animal can make an excellent pet. They are unpretentious in food and do not require much space. The terrarium must be at least 40 cm long and 30 cm wide. Particular attention should be paid to humidity - the sidewalk spider will die if it ends up in a dry, closed container. The temperature should be within 20 degrees. For food, you need to select insects that are no larger than the size of a spider. Flies, cockroaches, and crickets are ideal. With proper care, spiders live 2-3 years.
Interesting facts about sidewalkers
- Some species have the ability to slowly change their color.
- Before mating, the male brings his lady a gift in the form of an edible insect.
- Some people specifically bring home cockroaches to get rid of cockroaches.
- Spiders are able to distinguish the sounds of music and even “dance.”
- They distinguish relatives at a distance of up to 5 meters.
- Because of their style of moving sideways, they are called crab spiders.
- Some species hunt exclusively at night, waiting for moths inside a flower.
- They do not attack insects that are much smaller in size than the spider’s body.
- Farmers move sidewalkers to their fields to get rid of pests.
- Due to the small size of the fangs, they are not able to bite through human skin.
Description of the spider
Body structure
The body of side-walking spiders has two parts connected by a small tube:
The cephalothorax (prosoma) has the following features:
- divided into head and chest sections;
- on the head there are two pairs of limbs. Chelicerae are equipped with poisonous glands and a claw for their secretion. The pedipalps are formed from six segments; in males they are equipped with a mating apparatus;
- on the frontal part there are 8 eyes, 2 of which are main, the rest are additional;
- 4 pairs of limbs are attached to the cephalothorax behind the pedipalps. Side-walking spiders are able to move sideways due to the upward-turned front surfaces of the first two pairs of legs. With its movements it resembles a crab;
- The spider's leg consists of several sections: coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia calyx, pretarsus, tarsi with claw.
Abdomen (opisthosoma):
- oval shape;
- contains the spider's main internal organs;
- The genital opening is located below.
Nutrition
Side-walking spiders are predators; they are not afraid to attack even insects larger than themselves . Spiders wait for their prey for a long time, camouflaging themselves with the terrain (flowers, soil, bark). Side-walking spiders are very mobile and when the long-awaited profit appears, they quickly grab it with their feet and inject their paralyzing venom into the body of the victim. Then, after some time, all the nutrients are sucked out of it, leaving only one shell.
Reproduction
Mating of sidewalk spiders occurs at the beginning of summer and consists of the following stages:
- Searching for a female by a male, attracting attention to himself. If the female has accepted the gentleman's advances, he climbs onto her back.
- The male moves to the female's genital opening and alternately inserts pedipalps containing seminal fluid into it.
- After a short break, the act of mating is repeated.
- The female attaches cocoons to the stems or leaves of plants, hiding them from predators.
