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Wood scorpion

Cercophonius squama

Photo by Mark Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

I saw a pirate spider take on a scorpion today. <br> It put one bite onto the scorpion's tarsii and the scorpion was immediately paralysed. It then attached a line to it and hauled it up to it's nesting place and wrapped it into a ball of silk.

Habitat:

Suburban back yard on brick retaining wall.

Notes:

Pirate has very potent bite for smaller creatures.
Added pic#4 flash full on for spider ID.
Pirate Spider (Australomimetus sp.) http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/15935/

Reference Links:

Cercophonius squama - Overview, Cercophonius squama, Southern or Wood Scorpion - Cercophonius squama: Museum Victoria

Species ID Suggestions

Wood scorpion

Cercophonius squama

Reference Link
MartinL
1

Comments (8)
Atul
super spotting Argy!
ShannaB
Ah, that's my natural colour... ; )
Mark Ridgway
Thanks for the ID martin. It's amazing to think a little pholcid can take a scorpion but it did it so easily. That's 2 pretty impressive targets we've watched the pholcids take easily.
MartinL
You do have good eyes argybee. This is the southern, or wood scorpion and they are painful but not dangerous to humans, and apparently, not to spiders either. What a good observation!

Spotted for Missions

Mission
International Spider Survey
Mission
Hunters & Animal Food Habits
Mission
Backyard Habitats of the World
Photographed
PublishedMarch 19, 2012

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