Leg-footed spiders living in the tropical and subtropical zones. They were allocated in a separate detachment. Arachnologists named them Freens, and the Latin name Amblypygi. We set off for the tropical tropics to get to know these funny arachnids.
The most interesting facts about freens, their photos and descriptions:
1
General characteristics
Geoff Gallice from Gainesville, FL, USA [CC BY]
To begin with, we give a general description of the spider-frees. Perfectly safe for humans, despite the awesome look. These are small creatures. The largest ones reach 4.5 cm, but the smallest no more than 5 mm.
On the cephalothorax, the limbs are symmetrically located, as well as the medial and 2-3 pairs of lateral eyes. In cave frins, lateral eyes are absent. The paws are long, in some species up to 25 cm. The structure, like the spiders, only the frins do not have poisonous and spider glands.
The respiratory system is also similar to spiders. Color depends on the habitat. There are bright red, orange and yellowish individuals.
By the way, on our site most-beauty.ru there is fascinating material about the TOP-20 of the most beautiful spiders in the world.
2
Where do they live and what do they eat
Photo by Greg Hume [CC BY]
These creatures love humid places, and therefore do not leave the forest. Some settle in caves where there are sources of water. There are some. What live in anthills. They are found everywhere in the tropical and subtropical zones of the earth.
Nocturnal predators. With the onset of darkness go out to hunt for insects, including termites. He sits in ambush for a long time, waiting for the victim. They tear the victim apart with pedipals and chelicera. After a hearty meal, they drink water with pleasure.
In Russia, unusual inhabitants of the tropics can be seen in the zoo's terrariums.
3
Breeding
Separately, it is worth touching on reproduction issues. The average life expectancy is 4–5 years, and puberty occurs at the age of 3 years.
Before mating with a female, males hold tournaments in which the strongest are identified. Two frins fight until one surrenders, leaving the battlefield. After that, the male winner lays a capsule with spermatophores. With the help of paws brings a female to the capsule. The transfer of sperm into her body also occurs with her forelimbs.
After fertilization, the female lays about 60 eggs. All of them are in a special bag that she wears under her belly. Hatching, the cubs live on the mother’s back until the first molt. And only then they begin their independent existence.
4
At home
Keeping and breeding a house of such a creature is not difficult for lovers of exotic animals. There are a few rules. The walls of the aquarium should be 25–20 cm high. Be sure to cover and have ventilation.
At the bottom you need to put driftwood or branches with bark. You can also stack stones, but so that the green can hide under them. Between the stones pour coconut shell and dry foliage.
There must be a drinker, so they are water-philes. Do not forget about heating. They are thermophilic, and therefore the temperature should not fall below + 25 ° C. Do not place arachnid housing in direct sunlight. It is impossible to settle individuals of different ages and sizes in the same aquarium. Adults and large just eat small relatives.
5
Types of Free
Now most-beauty.ru will introduce you more closely to some representatives of these terrifying in appearance, but harmless arachnids.
Damon diadema
A resident of the central part of the African continent grows up to 4 cm. But there are varieties of this species that do not exceed 5 mm in length. Paws reaching a length of up to 20 cm complete the small body.
The color is dark gray, and characteristic light brown stripes are visible on the back. It is easy to identify this species from them. The abdomen in the frin is lighter than the cephalothorax.
Tries to stay closed, hiding during the day under the rocks, in crevices, under the bark of trees or fallen leaves.
Phrynus longipes
In the photo, one of the largest frins, growing up to 6 cm in length. The span of five pairs of limbs reaches 25–27 cm. The body, as in all, is flat, and the legs are thin and quite long.
The pedipals end with ticks, which is why in some countries they are called a spider with arms or false scorpions. He lives in dark caves, completely merging with the rocks with his body color.
Puerto Rico is considered the homeland. Cannibalism is common among this species. Stronger individuals with good appetite eat weak relatives.
Phrynus marginemaculatus
In southern Florida, you can meet this rare species, growing up to 2 cm in length. He also populated the Bahamas, Cuba and picturesque Haiti.
The front limbs grow up to 10 cm, and the rear antennae are used, like everything, for orientation. They prefer to stay in groups in which there is a dominant male, several females and growing offspring.
Having matured, the cubs remain in the group. All members of the community care about each other, but are aggressive towards others. Pretty selflessly guard themselves and their territory.
Damon medius
African frein lives in the vast territories of Liberia, Guinea, Benin and Sierra Leone. There are populations in Senegal and Nigeria.
Grow up to 4 cm in length, and limbs in length up to 25 cm. Males and females differ in the length of the pedipals. In females, they are slightly shorter than in males.
A completely harmless creature with a flat body. It feeds on insects that it catches at night. During the day, he hides in a shelter, avoiding direct sunlight.
Charon grayi
Hiding from human eyes and natural enemies in wet caves. On hunting creeps out only at night.
You can meet such a handsome man in the Philippines, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands and other islands of Polynesia. Small in size. The body does not grow more than 2 cm, but the legs are quite long.
The victim is captured by pedipals, and then bursts by powerful chelicera. Prefers to stay close to water sources.
Damon variegatus
Frein is also volatile among the large. Adults grow up to 5 cm in length. Paw span from 26 to 28 cm.
During the day, he hides in caves under stones or in crevices, and at night crawls out in search of food. It is found only in Tanzania. There is also a forest species, because of which, perhaps, it received its species name.
Termites and small insects predominate in the diet. Itself becomes a victim of birds, lizards, as well as some small mammals.
Interesting Facts
And now, funny facts about the unusual arachnid, which conquered even the cinema.
- In the cult fantasy film about Harry Potter, a green falls on the hair of one of the heroes, which frightens him and others.
- They got their scientific species name Amblypygi due to the lack of a tail and the rounded back of their body. Indeed, literally from the ancient Greek language, the species name is translated as "stupid ass."
- Two hind limbs during evolution were transformed into organs of touch. With these "paws" the arachnid explores the environment.
- The oldest inhabitant of our planet. Paleontological prints are found in sediments of the Carboniferous period. Studied fossils indicate that these bunches appeared about 350 million years ago.
- When light hits them, they just freeze. If you touch, the frins immediately run away. They move like crabs sideways.
- Back in the 19th century, rumors were circulating among people that the Freens are dangerous poisonous creatures. According to people, their unusual tentacles could inflict wounds incompatible with life. Because of this, scientists of the past were in no hurry to study the "terrible" arachnids.
Do not miss, on our site most-beauty.ru a list of the most poisonous spiders on our planet is collected.
Summary
It is interesting, but in the 4th century BC, a beautiful getter named Frina lived in Athens. Her biography has nothing to do with spiders. But the beautiful woman was distinguished by bashfulness, rarely appearing naked in public, and she accepted men in complete darkness. Naked in public only at the festival of Poseidon, saluting the Greek gods. Frina spiders also lead a secretive lifestyle, hiding under the bark of trees, in stones, crevices of rocks and caves.
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