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Spitting Spider

Scytodes thoracica

Published on Project Noah
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30.0079, 31.1879

Field Notes

Description:

Scytodes thoracica is a spitting spider because it spits a poisonous sticky silken substance over its prey. Its size ranges between 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in). The carapace is unusual in sloping upwards towards its rear end, whereas the abdomen slopes downwards.
It has six eyes instead of the eight spiders usually have. It is found in the Holarctic, Australia, and on some oceanic islands in the Pacific.
This particular spitting spider features the presence of silk glands in its cephalothorax. Besides the silk glands in its abdomen, the spider also has silk glands connected with its poison glands. In this way the spiders has the ability to make poisonous silk. Other arachnids may also have silk glands in their cephalothorax, such as the pseudoscorpions.

Notes:

found it inside the house hanging from ceiling light. relocated it safely outside in the garden.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)

can anyone confirm this? a day after I captured this, another one came down the same way and was relocated outside as well. I have inspected where they were coming from, but didn't find anything.

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