Pholcus phalangioides
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| Pholcus phalangioides Fuesslin, 1775 |
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Pholcus phalangioides, the daddy-long-legs spider or cellar spider (also known as skull spider due to its cephalothorax looking like a human skull), is a spider of the family Pholcidae. Females have a body length of about 9 mm; males are slightly smaller. Its legs are about 5 or 6 times the length of its body. Its habit of living on the ceilings of rooms, caves or cellars gives rise to one of its common names. In Australian homes, they are considered beneficial because they will kill and eat the venomous Redback spider.[1].
This is the only spider species described by Swiss entomologist Johann Kaspar Füssli. Confusion often arises over its common name, because "daddy longlegs" is also applied to two other unrelated arthropods: the harvestman and the crane fly.
Pholcus phalangioides has the habit of shaking its web violently when disturbed. This is probably to blur the vision of a predator. They can easily catch and eat other small spiders, mosquitoes, and other insects. When food is scarce, they will prey on their own kind.
Because they originally came from the tropics, these spiders do not seem to be aware of seasonal changes and breed at any time of the year. The female holds the 20 to 30 eggs in her pedipalps. Spiderlings are transparent with short legs and change their skin about 5 or 6 times as they mature.
An urban legend states that they are the most venomous spider in the world, but that because their fangs are unable to penetrate human skin, they are harmless to humans. However, recent research has shown that pholcid venom has a relatively weak effect on insects. No similar research has been conducted to determine its effects on mammalian biology.[2] In the MythBusters episode "Daddy Long-Legs" it was shown that the spider's fangs (0.25mm) could penetrate human skin (0.1mm) but that only a very mild burning feeling was felt for a few seconds[3].
[edit] References
- ^ Daddy Long Legs - Queensland Museum
- ^ Spider Myths - If it could only bite
- ^ "Buried in Concrete, Daddy—Longlegs, Jet Taxi", MythBusters, Episode 13, Discovery Channel, Original airing: February 15, 2004 [1]
- Ferrick, A. (2002). ADW: Pholcus phalangioides: Information. Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
[edit] External links
