© Stuart M Bennett 2001
Scytodes thoracica
(Spitting Spider)


This spider has been given the name of "Spitting Spider" because of it's method of attacking its prey. It is able to project a spray , over a distance of 10 millimeters, composed of gum and poison which cements the prey to the substrate, allowing the slow moving spider to close in and deliver its fatal bite. It is possible that the spider locates the direction and distance of its prey using the long trichobothria which are present on the distal ends of the metatarsi.

 

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