Spiders and other arachnids
Arachnids are arthropods with eight legs, segmented bodies and no wings. They're generally found on land, and the class includes scorpions, ticks, mites and spiders. There are around 100,000 known arachnid species — about half of which are spiders — but there are likely many more out there yet to be discovered.
Arachnids have been on Earth for a really long time. The oldest known scorpion dates back around 437 million years, while spiders probably emerged about 400 million years ago from arachnid ancestors that had crawled out of the ocean and onto land.
Today, arachnids are found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica, and even there, sea spiders live on the ocean floor around the continent.
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Daddy longlegs may be capturing and devouring frogs in the tropical forests of South AmericaDaddy longlegs have been observed eating frogs in South America, suggesting that these arachnids may be predators of vertebrates.
By Olivia Ferrari Published
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Tiny spiders that build giant 'puppet' decoys from disembodied prey discovered in Peru and PhilippinesResearchers have documented the strange antics of two tropical spider species that build giant, arachnid-shaped decoys out of silk, plant matter and prey remains in their webs.
By Sascha Pare Published
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World's biggest spiderweb discovered inside 'Sulfur Cave' with 111,000 arachnids living in pitch blackA giant colonial spiderweb in a sulfuric cave on the border between Greece and Albania may be the largest ever found — and it was built by spiders we didn't know liked the company of others.
By Sascha Pare Published
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Spiders seen keeping fireflies as glowing prisoners that draw more prey to their websThe fireflies are kept inside the webs for as long as they glow, before being consumed.
By Hannah Osborne Published
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Males of 4 never-before-seen tarantula species have record-long genitalia'Size really does matter' The males of four newfound tarantula species have extremely long genitalia so that they can keep their distance from aggressive females during mating, researchers say.
By Sascha Pare Published
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Watch 1,000 baby spiders devour their mothers and aunties alive in stomach-turning, first-of-its-kind footageFootage from the BBC's new nature series "Parenthood" shows African social spiders committing matricide and cannibalizing their elderly relatives. Even Sir David Attenborough was horrified.
By Sascha Pare Published
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'Backward' brain of ancient sea creature hints spider ancestors evolved in the oceanThe tiny 'backward' brain of an ancient sea creature hints that spider ancestors might have gotten their start in the ocean.
By Skyler Ware Published
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Spider quiz: Test your web of knowledgeQuiz Are you an arach-nerd or just tangled? Take our spider quiz to find out!
By Christina Hughes Published
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Cannibalistic spiderlings won't hunt their siblings even if they're starvingSocial signals stop young labyrinth spiders from hunting their siblings even when they are starving. However, the cannibalistic spiderlings quickly feed on the corpses of their brothers and sisters.
By Patrick Pester Published
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