The Camel Spiders of the Middle East
The camel spiders can be considered as one of the fastest
runners among the arthropods. These arachnids have four pairs of long
hairy legs but only three pairs are utilized for walking. The pair of
legs that are not used for mobility, which is also known as the
pedipalpi, serve as the antennae of the camel spider. The body of this
type of arachnid is covered with very long silk-like setae. The setae of
the camel spiders move constantly to search and at the same time hold
the captured prey. Although the camel spider can bite strongly and has
an appearance that may be too intimidating for most people, camel
spiders, also known as solifugids, have no aggressive tendencies towards
humans.
In the past, the desert inhabitants believe that camel
spiders are extremely dangerous for they possess lethal venom. However,
studies about the characteristics of camel spiders have indicated that
these insects do not have the capability to deal damage enough to kill a
person. However, the large bite of a camel spider can be a potential
risk for those people who have threatened it. Moreover, the bite can
also cause infection and even extreme shock to the wounded person.
Further studies about the camel spiders have testified that there is no
evidence of venom lethal enough to kill the injured prey.
Camel spiders behave as nocturnal predators and mainly
feed on other arthropods. One of the main preys of the camel spiders are
the scorpions found in the desert. As voracious feeders, some of the
species of camel spider feed on lizards, mice and even birds. With the
agile movement of its limbs, it has the ability to catch the prey
stealthily. These insects are commonly found in desert areas and have
been causing terrors to several desert campers when seeing their
intimidating size. The camel spiders are strongly attracted to
nightlights for these insects recognize light as the right direction
towards food. If you were on a camping adventure in the desert, you
definitely would encounter a camel spider trying to forage some of your
food. However, do not be alarmed since these insects would only attack
if threatened or aggravated.
During winter season, it can be very rare to see a camel
spider wandering on the wild. It is more likely that the camel spiders
hide and even hibernate during the cold winter months in the Middle East
regions.
Although there have been several reports about large
camel spiders with the size of a whole dining platter, the small number
of direct accounts with these nocturnal arthropods has caused mystery
for the exact identity of this species. In the United Arab Emirates,
three families of camel spiders are with proper identification. These
families include the sandy-coloured and long-legged Solpugidae and
Galeodidae and the short-legged and black-coloured Rhagodidae. The
Rhagodidae family of camel spiders are capable of digging their self
into the sand. The Galelodidae has the largest population among the
three families of camel spiders. Its hairy and bulky body classifies
this particular species with legs spreading up to 15 centimetres in
length. |
