Why arachnids are different from insects? How does spider devour its prey? Why spider is not caught in its web? Name the deadliest spider. Name the organism of myriapods.

          Spiders and scorpions are arachnids. They differ from insects because they have two, rather than three, body sections, eight legs instead of six and no antennae or wings. Most arachnids also have eight simple eyes and no compound eyes. They rely more on sound than sight. Most have bristles on their legs that are sensitive to vibrations in the air or through the ground.

          Arachnids feed by piercing their prey with their sharp fangs, paralyzing or killing it. Their saliva turns the body tissues of the prey into liquid that can then be sucked up.

 

          Spiders are carnivores, feeding mainly on insects and other spiders. Many spiders use webs to catch their prey. Any insect that flies into a web is caught in the strands, which are often sticky. As the insect struggles to free itself, the spider, sitting at the edge of the web, feels the vibrations and comes to claim its prey. It avoids becoming caught in the threads itself by walking on the claw-like tips of its feet.

 

 

 

 

          Silk is used by the spider for many other purposes besides forming webs. It can be a safety line when jumping, be woven into a sac by a female to hold her eggs, or used to wrap up prey before feeding.

           All spiders have poisonous venom, which they use to paralyze or kill their prey. Some, such as the black widow spider, are so poisonous that they can kill humans.

 

 

 

SCORPIONS

          Scorpions have a sharp sting on the end of their tail-like abdomen that injects poison into their prey. It is also used for defence. Like other arachnids, scorpions have an extra pair of “limbs” either side of their jaws. These form large pincers for the scorpion to grasp its prey. After hatching, young scorpions climb up their mother’s pincers on to her back, where they are carried until they shed their skins for the first time and become independent.

 

 

 

MYRIAPODS

          Myriapods are a group of arthropods that includes centipedes and millipedes. Myriapods have long bodies made up of segments, and as many as 200 pairs of legs. They must live in dark, damp places because their bodies easily dry out.

          Millipedes have short, strong legs for burrowing through soil or dead leaves. Most feed on plant material, chewing with their strong jaws. Centipedes are carnivorous predators. Most have longer legs than the millipedes, and can scuttle at great speed after their prey. They use the large “poison-claws” on their heads to capture and paralyze their prey before eating it.

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