Phalanx - a monster of class of arachnids

Phalanges or solpugami these big spider called in Russia. In other countries, they are best known as "camel spider" (because of the desert habitat) or "Scorpion Wind" (because of the high rate of movement). In the world there are about 1000 species. The nature of these arachnids fully consistent with their appearance. In addition, they are very voracious. So in captivity phalanx can eat as long as the burst, literally.
Phalanx or solpugi or bihorki or camel spider (lat. Solifugae) - detachment of arachnids (Arachnida). Inhabit the arid areas. Phalanx - a rather large spider. Central Asian phalanx, for example, reaches a length of 5-7 centimeters. Their bodies and limbs are covered with long hairs. Tentacles-pedipalps, located in front, very similar to the limbs and perform their function.
All phalanx very mobile and almost all of them - the night predators. Phalanx carnivorous or omnivorous, feeding on termites, bees, beetles, darkling beetles, and other small arthropods, but can also eat larger animals, such as lizards.

Will be 20 photos
proof





Appearance solpug quite unusual.
Their body length reaches 5-7 centimeters, but there are small species that do not exceed 15 mm. Their body is covered with numerous long hairs and bristles that give solpuge more menacing appearance.

Phalanx characteristic of desert areas.
In the former USSR phalanx met in the Lower Volga region, Kalmykia, North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, the republics of Central Asia, Kazakhstan. In Europe, also known in Spain and Greece. There on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula.



3. Phalanx most active at night. During the day they hide in various shelters, under rocks, in burrows of rodents and other animals, or you can dig a hole with the help of the chelicerae, throwing the earth underfoot. Some use the same hole for a long time, others are satisfied with every night a new lair. Night views are involved in a variety of light sources. In the hot desert areas phalanx often come to light a fire, accumulate under the lights, get into lighted living quarters.



4. The Phalanx is extremely voracious and eat a wide variety of animals with which they can cope, mainly insects and millipedes, spiders, woodlice and others. They catch termites, gnawing through walls of buildings. Large phalanx attack on small lizards, small birds nestlings, young rodents.
In battles with scorpions with equal amounts opponents usually wins phalanx. Production lightning grasped firmly held, broken and kneaded chelicerae. Some species are known as the California spoilers hives. At night, making his way through the entrance is in the hive, a phalanx of destroying a large number of bees. The bottom of the hive covered their remains, and a phalanx with a bloated belly from the abundance of food ingested is not able to get out from the hive entrance is through. In the morning the bees zazhalivayut her death.



5. It is interesting that during the attack of the enemy phalanx frightening loud sound obtained by contact and friction cheliceral each other.



6. Due to the specific shape of the body of the phalanx very mobile and maneuverable. Some individuals are able to reach speeds of 16 km / h. This led to the origin of their property is one of the species name in the English language - «wind scorpion» («Scorpion wind).



7. Phalanx prefer arid climate and desert terrain. Thus, most often they are found in the world's largest deserts. Surprisingly, the phalanx almost common in Australia.



8. Major individual phalanx under the force to bite human skin and it makes phalanges dangerous to humans. The fact is that although there is no phalanges glands that produce the poison, and specific tools for its injection, like their close relatives - spiders and scorpions, but their jaws are often fragments of previous victims, rotting and therefore - highly toxic. When injected into the open wound by the bite formed by the decomposition of substances may cause inflammation of both local and general septicemia. By itself, the bite phalanx even without consequences - something unpleasant and painful.



9. How have the following squad phalanx of scientific names: Solpugida, Galeodea, Solifugae Sundevall, Mycetophorae. From common names phalanges worth noting Russian versions - bihorki, solpugi - and British - wind scorpion, sun scorpion, camel spider, sun spider.



10. Since the phalanx of the most common in desert areas, and painting them suitable for such a habitat - sandy-yellow or brown-yellow, and there are more types of light. Some tropical species have a bright color.



11. A feature solpug is their strong development of the tracheal system. The main tracheal trunks paired spiracles open on the abdomen at the rear edges of the second and third segments.



12. These arachnids in most cases active at night, but there is a sun-loving species. Most solpug hide from daylight in shelters: under stones, in rodent burrows or dig themselves burrows itself.



13. With the onset of the breeding season, the male finds the female via the olfactory organ on pedipalps. Self Mating occurs at night. The male releases to the soil surface with an adhesive spermatophores, then picks it up and carries chelicerae in the female genital opening. After that, it is better to get out, because the female after fertilization becomes very mobile and aggressive, and may eat the male.



14. After a while she goes to the construction of burrows, which lays 30 to 200 eggs. Embryo development occurs in the oviducts of the female, so from eggs laid soon appear small solpugi. Before the first molts they are virtually immobile. But after their new covers dismembered and harden, and there are hairs on the body. The female is next to the offspring until it will get stronger. Some suggest that it brings them food.



15. repellent picture of gluttony phalanges can be played if they contain them in captivity. If phalanx to provide an unlimited amount of food, such as insects, bring it with tweezers, she eats so that the abdomen swells and may even burst. This doomed to destruction falagna nevertheless continues to catch and eat the food placed in the proximity to her until chelicera not stop moving. The nature of these cases appear to be excluded: After eating a phalanx with a larger belly loses the ability to chase prey, sooner than be satisfied too.



16.



17.



18.



19.



20. Everything!



Source:

Tags

See also

New and interesting