My first thought when asked to pick a strange, unusual, or bizarre arachnid is "How do I pick just one when there are so many?". Do I pick a spider that cartwheels to escape predators? Do I pick scorpions that brightly glows when exposed to UV rays? How about a fishing spider, or a spider that is the size of a dinner plate? Then there's those adorable jumping spiders that drum and dance to impress the females. How do I narrow it down to just one? Well... let's just roll the dice and see what comes up.
Meet the "Assassin Spider", also known as the "Pelican Spider". This spider with a giraffe like neck and oversized jaws gets its name from the fact that it primarily preys upon other spiders. So, if you're a spider whose food is trying to bite back, what are you to do? Well first of all, it would probably be a good idea to keep them away from all your vulnerable parts until they are dead so that you don't get a dose of venom in you. This is the purpose of the extended giraffe-like neck and oversized jaws. The assassin spider grabs its prey and holds it at arm's length until it is dead before consuming. At rest, with it's jaws pulled in tight, the spider has the appearance of a pelican, hence the alternative nickname... "Pelican spider".
These spider were originally found preserved in ancient, 100 million year old amber and were thought to be extinct ancestors of modern spiders, but then were found alive and well in Madagascar in 1881. Since that time, they have also been found in Africa and Australia as well. Although bizarre, and perhaps scary in appearance, these are very small spiders and pose no threat to man. However, if you are a smaller spider, look out!
So, there you have it. A spider that I never knew existed until now that has a very unique and bizarre appearance as well as lifestyle. Look out for the assassin!
Meet the "Assassin Spider", also known as the "Pelican Spider". This spider with a giraffe like neck and oversized jaws gets its name from the fact that it primarily preys upon other spiders. So, if you're a spider whose food is trying to bite back, what are you to do? Well first of all, it would probably be a good idea to keep them away from all your vulnerable parts until they are dead so that you don't get a dose of venom in you. This is the purpose of the extended giraffe-like neck and oversized jaws. The assassin spider grabs its prey and holds it at arm's length until it is dead before consuming. At rest, with it's jaws pulled in tight, the spider has the appearance of a pelican, hence the alternative nickname... "Pelican spider".
These spider were originally found preserved in ancient, 100 million year old amber and were thought to be extinct ancestors of modern spiders, but then were found alive and well in Madagascar in 1881. Since that time, they have also been found in Africa and Australia as well. Although bizarre, and perhaps scary in appearance, these are very small spiders and pose no threat to man. However, if you are a smaller spider, look out!
So, there you have it. A spider that I never knew existed until now that has a very unique and bizarre appearance as well as lifestyle. Look out for the assassin!