![]() First and foremost, it can be quite hard for a potential predator like a wasp to open a trapdoor burrow by force: the spide will use its rastellum, its pedipalps and a few pairs of legs to do everything in its power to hold the door shut, and these spiders can be comparatively very strong. And for many spiders, burrows aren't just one long shaft-they also incorporate other defense mechanisms as well. The lid of the burrow is fused together with more silk from whatever materials-plant, mineral, or otherwise, is close at hand, always so as to make the lid blend in with the natural surroundings. The burrows are lined with strong silk, which not only maintains structural integrity, but also keeps the temperature nice and climate controlled. So there's a little bit of confusion as to what actually constitutes a "trapdoor spider."Īnd from an evolutionary standpoint, these spiders have definitely made themselves comfortable with a burrowing lifestyle. From a taxonomic/common name standpoint, there's a lot of overlap: while lots of members of the Barychelidae and other families make trapdoors, not all do. The Barychelidae don't have the rastellum, but they're still "trapdoor spiders". ![]() This so-called rastellum is, in essence, a row of hardened spines that assists the spider in the digging and construction of burrows. But morphologically, what distinguishes a trapdooor of the Ctenizidae family from any other spider is the presence of something called a rastellum on their chelicerae (mouthparts). So the question is, what makes a trapdoor spider a trapdoor spider? Well, one could argue that it's the fact that they live in burrows with trapdoors, but the distinction is fluid-a lot of spider, mygalomorphs especially, live in burrows, either with lid coverings or without. ![]() Sometimes, though, trapdoor spiders can be more colorful, as shown by this African Red Trapdoor Spider, Gorgyrella inermis (and damn, do I love YouTube!): (I would reproduce photos, but am unwilling to engage in anything that could be construed as copyright infringement for photos I didn't take.)Īs you can see, they resemble other mygalomorph spiders I've written about previously, like the Sydney Funnel-Web, because they share traits common to a lot of mygalomorph spiders (tarantulas included), such as heavy bodies, shape, fang structure, etc. But if I did and I managed to dig one up, here's what I'd find. I know the general vicinity of where to find some around Pasadena, but havent actually ventured out there to go look for them. Out here where I live in Southern California, the Bothriocyrtum californicumis found scattered among our hillsides. And the likelihood is that if you live anywhere in the Southern half of the United States, you've passed right by them and haven't even known. There are trapdoor spiders spread all over the world-they're found on every continent. Now, before you watch this video, see if you can identify at all where the trapdoor is! I'll bet you can't. Case in point: this member of the Barychelidae family, native to Africa. When an unfortunate insect happens to pass by, the trapdoor feels the vibrations of the passing insect, opens the door, snatches it and retreats back to the burrow to enjoy its lunch-all in one lightning quick motion. Now, first things first: why are they called trapdoor spiders? Well, that one's easy: it's because they live in burrows underneath the ground, and the burrows have a lid with a hinge that acts as a trapdoor.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |