Spitting Spider
Order: Aransas
Family: Scytodidae
Genus: Scytodes
Species: Various
General Characteristics: The Spitting Spider is a small brown spider with a flecked pattern of spots. The dome-shaped carapace is unusual in that it slopes upwards towards the rear end, whereas the abdomen slopes downwards. It has six eyes arranged in three pairs. It has long stilt-like legs. Body length: male 4mm, female 6 mm
Special Adaptations: They catch their prey by spitting a fluid onto it that congeals on contact into a venomous sticky mass. They sway from side to side to cover the prey in a "Z" pattern. The spider strikes from a distance of 10-20mm. The attack takes under 1/700th of second!
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