The camel spider has several names - bihorka, phalanx, solpuga, wind scorpion, solar spider. In South Africa they are called barbers. Literally, Solifugae translates as "running away from the sun." The phalanx spider is different from. This class of arthropod was attributed to the presence of chelicerae, long limbs. There are more than 1 thousand types of phalanges around the world. They live in deserts, steppe, arid zones with high temperatures.

Photo and description of the phalanx spider

Outwardly, it resembles a scorpion, spider, insect. The unique creature looks intimidating, behaves aggressively, runs fast, jumps, has a dense shell. Such features make it almost invulnerable.

The camel spider is a peculiar creature with a combination of primitive features and signs of high development. The body consists of the abdomen, chest, head. Covered with a strong shell, long hairs. The abdomen is elongated, divided into several segments. Bihorka size no more than 7 cm.

Long powerful limbs are attached to the chest, head. There are 8 legs in total, but the long tentacles are very similar to another pair of legs, they perform similar functions. The tentacles and powerful jaws on the head are directed forward, similar in shape to claws. Used to grind solid food. The hind legs are somewhat longer. With their help, the saltpug spider develops great speed, and also jumps up to 1 m.

The coloring of the bihorka resembles a scorpion. Abdomen dark brown, closer to black. Head, claws orange, red. Chest, limbs are red or light brown. The hairs are light all over the body. A photo of a camel spider is presented below. The color scheme differs depending on the species.

Interesting!

The device of the eyes is different from - there are no simple eyes. Compound eyes are located in front, on the sides of the cephalothorax, instantly react to light, movement. This feature makes the salpuga an excellent hunter and invulnerable prey.

habitats

The camel spider lives in desert, semi-desert regions, steppes. Prefers dry terrain, high temperatures. Many species live in the Gobi desert, in the North Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Astrakhan, Transcaucasia, the Lower Volga region, Volgograd. In Europe, they are found in Greece, Spain.

The camel spider digs holes in the soil, hides under stones, snags.

On a note!

Salpuga is predominantly nocturnal, but some species are active during the day, not afraid of sunlight. The phalanxes are afraid of people, they try to quickly hide, but their negligence often penetrates into the living quarters.

Behavioral Features

Salpugs are aggressive creatures. They attack absolutely everyone they can handle. Their victims are often insects, spiders, caterpillars, as well as rodents, birds, lizards, snakes. Phalanx fearlessly rush into battle with a scorpion, often winning.

Salpugs wait for the victim in a secluded place, at the sight of it they take a frightening position - they raise their chest, stretch their tentacles forward.

Interesting!

Phalanxes run at a speed of 16 km per hour, so it is very difficult to escape from such a predator. If necessary, the salpuga jumps in length up to 1 m.

Nutrition

Extremely voracious fertilized females. If the rodent manages to be defeated, it eats everything at once. Powerful jaws breaks the shell, gnaw out the insides. The murder weapon is claws, tentacles, powerful jaws. The spider does not inject poison, it does not paralyze the victim.

The main diet is insects, beetles, spiders. Larger species attack chicks, rodents, lizards, frogs, toads, scorpions. Salpugs have practically no natural enemies. The power of chelicerae allows you to calmly cut feathers, woolen cover, cut through the skin, shell, crush thin bones.

On a note!

When attacked, the phalanx emits an unpleasant piercing squeak, chirping.


Pairing

Mating games take place at night. The female attracts males by scent. Fertilization is spermatozoal. Before mating, the young female is so inert that the "boyfriend" has to drag her along. After fertilization, the phalanx becomes nimble. If the male does not have time to escape from her, he risks becoming a victim.

The development of embryos begins inside the salpuga. After some time, the female lays eggs in a previously prepared mink. Cubs are born with a thin chitinous cover, extremely vulnerable, motionless. Mother protects them until the first molt, brings food. After 2 weeks, the cubs molt, increase in size, acquire a characteristic color, and the shell hardens.

How many young phalanxes molt until they grow up, how long they live then, is not known for certain. Approximately an adult lives 1 year.

Poisonous or not camel spider

Salpugs do not have glands that produce a toxic substance. Phalanges are not poisonous, but bite very painfully. People are attacked only in case of a threat to their own lives. Powerful jaws gnaw through the skin, leaving deep wounds. Bruises, bruises, swelling, redness remain at the site of the bite. However, only large individuals are capable of such a “feat”, nothing remains of young salpugs on the body.

On a note!

Since the claws often contain the remains of rotting food, the infection enters the wound. After a few days, itching, suppuration, blisters appear. To avoid unpleasant consequences, the bite site must be immediately disinfected. In the presence of a secondary infection, symptoms are eliminated with broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Salpuga is attracted by the ultraviolet light of the lamp, so it very often sneaks into the house, tent, outbuildings. It's almost impossible to kill her. The predator runs fast, jumps well, has a strong shell. The only way out is to kick it out. But first you should tuck your trousers into socks, put on gloves, take a broom or a stick.

Phalanx spiders are among the most unique animals on the planet. The order includes 13 families, 1 thousand species, 140 genera. For unknown reasons, they are not in the arid regions of Australia.

The phalanx spider has several names - solpuga, bihorka, phalanx, camel spider, Solifugae - and is a rather unpredictable animal. Let's start with the fact that this is not a spider. Outwardly, they are very similar to spiders - the structure of the limbs, their location and the presence of chelicerae, therefore they were classified as arachnids. About 1000 species of phalanges are known.

For scientists, the name "phalanx" is not very convenient, because. consonant with the Latin name of the detachment of haymakers - Phalangida. The more commonly used name is "solpuga".

Although translated from Latin it means “running away from the sun”, and this is not always true, because. there are also sun-loving, diurnal types of salpug. The name "bihorka" is rarely used, and the locals of different countries where the phalanx spider lives have their own local names for it.

Salpugs are very peculiar - in their way of life and structure, both signs of high development and primitive features are combined together. For example, the structure of the body and limbs is very primitive, and the tracheal system is the most developed of all arachnids.

Most of them are nocturnal predators, but among them there are species that are active during the daytime.

The phalanges are quite large animals, the Central Asian phalanx can reach a length of up to 5-7 cm. The entire body, including the limbs, is covered with long hairs.

The pedipalps located in front of the tentacles are very similar to the limbs and often perform their function. They look very intimidating, and hardly anyone wants to voluntarily get to know them better. The body of the phalanx is colored brown-yellow.

The chelicerae are very well developed and resemble claws or large forceps. The eye tubercle, on which there is a pair of convex eyes, is clearly visible on the anterior edge of the head shield, while the lateral eyes of the salpugs are underdeveloped.

These very mobile animals are nocturnal predators, they are omnivorous, they eat termites, dark beetles, other small arthropods, but they can also eat larger game - for example, a lizard. When attacking, the salpuga emits a thin squeak or chirp by rubbing the chelicera against one another.

If the phalanx is attacked, it will begin to defend itself fiercely and very cleverly manage its claws. Even with a scorpion, she is able to cope, although he is poisonous and very dangerous. They behave aggressively towards each other.

Phalanges are surprisingly gluttonous and illegible in food. They can attack almost anything that moves and that they can handle. They can even eat termites, chewing through the walls of their rather strong houses. Californian phalanges ravage bee hives.

Larger species attack lizards, young small rodents, and chicks of small birds. If food is within its reach, the phalanx will eat without stopping until it dies of gluttony.

Fertilized female salpugs are especially voracious. During fertilization, the female is so inert that the male sometimes drags her around with him. But after intercourse, she becomes very active, and the male has to quickly get away from her so that the female does not satisfy her hunger with him.

After some time, after active absorption of food, the female lays her eggs in a specially dug hole. Eggs can be from 30 to 200. Young phalanx spiders appear after 2-3 weeks.

Mating usually takes place at night. The female attracts the male with her scent. Fertilization occurs by the spermatophoric method - the male releases a sticky spermatophore containing sperm, picks it up with the help of chelicerae and transfers it to the female genital opening.

A certain role is played by special flag appendages on the male chelicerae. The process takes several minutes. When mating, the male behaves reflexively - if you remove the female or the spermatophore, the male will still continue his actions, not noticing that now they do not make any sense.

The embryonic development of small salpugs begins in the oviducts of the female, therefore, the cubs hatch quite quickly from the laid eggs. At first they are immobile, devoid of articulation and hairs and covered with a thin transparent cuticle.

After 2-3 weeks, molting occurs, the integument begins to dissect and harden, hairs appear and the salpuga can already move. The female stays with the young until it gets stronger. According to observations, the female even delivers food to the cubs at this time.

How many times saltpugs molt and what is their life expectancy is not yet known. In winter, salpugs hibernate, and some species may hibernate even during the summer months.

Mostly phalanxes live in deserts, arid regions and semi-desert areas. They can be found in the Gobi desert, in the North Caucasus, in Astrakhan, in Transcaucasia, in the Lower Volga region, in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and in Europe they live in Greece and Spain. But in Australia they don't.

The phalanges have no poison, just as there are no poisonous glands, but their bites can have serious consequences. Large phalanxes are quite able to bite through human skin. Because their chelicerae retain the rotting remains of their prey, when bitten, they can enter a wound and cause inflammation or blood poisoning.

Different peoples give the phalanges a wide variety of names - for example, "Scorpion of the Wind." This name was given to the phalanx for their run, because they can reach speeds of up to 16 km / h.

Regarding the poisonousness of the phalanges, there are many all sorts of tales, for a long time people considered it terribly poisonous and very dangerous for humans. The very same phalanx of a person is not afraid at all, and at night it can easily run into the tent by the light of a flashlight, so always close the entrance to the tent.

Climbing into the tent, check if the phalanx has penetrated with you. Do not leave any things outside the tent, in the morning a tired phalanx can crawl into them to rest.

It is impossible to drive the phalanx out of the tent, it can either be killed or thrown with a broom outside the tent. At the same time, be sure to keep thick gloves with you, and tuck your trousers into your boots. But keep in mind that it is impossible to crush it on the sand.

If you are still bitten by a phalanx, you need instant first aid: wash the bite generously with any antiseptic - peroxide, brilliant green, iodine, even vodka or alcohol. If the wound still begins to fester, be sure to take antibiotics.

The body of the phalanges, unlike other arachnids, is divided into 3 sections - the head, abdomen and chest. The head is rather large and convex. The chest is clearly divided into three segments, as in insects and centipedes.

The abdomen of the phalanx consists of approximately 9-10 segments, limbs are absent. Three pairs of limbs are attached in the head section, corresponding to the mandibles and two pairs of jaws in insects; there are no antennae.

The remaining three pairs are attached to the chest segments, one pair for each. The first pair of limbs is located on the front edge of the head and occupies it completely, facing forward.

According to their physiological functions, they correspond to the mandibles, therefore they are called tentacles, i.e. chelicerae. In shape, they look like large thick claws, their task is to capture and grind food.

The second pair of limbs in appearance resembles tentacles (pedipalpi), but they also look like legs, and when walking they work exactly like legs. The third pair of limbs is similar in appearance to the second and also serves for walking.

The hind legs are noticeably longer than the other limbs; on their coxae there are 2-5 pairs of very peculiar maleolar organs (attachments), similar in shape to triangular plates on stalks, located below.

Apparently, these are some kind of sensory organs, their purpose has not yet been clarified. The cariae of these pendants are equipped with sensilla with many sensitive cells, their processes are connected into one nerve passing through the stalk of each plate.

Scientists did experiments to remove maleoli, but in this regard, they did not find any visible changes in the behavior of the salpug.

The belly of the salpuga is powerful, shaped like a spindle and consists of 10 segments. Salpugs have a powerfully developed tracheal system. The body and limbs are densely covered with hairs and setae, soft in places, spiny in places, and sometimes very long.

Such shaggyness, combined with lightning-fast movements and large size, has an intimidating effect on enemies.

Salpugs are extremely fast, easily climb any vertical surfaces, and can jump more than a meter. Encountering the enemy - and for the saltpug everything is an enemy - she stands in a threatening pose: The front part of the body is raised, the chelicerae with open claws are directed forward, the pedipalps and front legs are also directed towards the enemy.

At the same time, some types of salpug gnash eerily with chelicerae, rubbing them against each other. The vast majority of saltpug species are most active at night.

During the day, they hide in various nooks and crannies - in the burrows of Georgians, under stones, they can dig a mink for themselves and with pleasure climb into your backpack or shoes left unattended.

Some species always use the same shelter, while others prefer to look for a new shelter each time. Night views are easy to attract with any light source. They can come to the light of a fire or lanterns, penetrate into illuminated houses.

Most of all, they, like many nocturnal insects, like the ultraviolet radiation from a mercury lamp.

In the scientific literature, there is an opinion that the salpug is attracted not by light, but by insects that have accumulated near the light source. But this is still not the case, although the salpugs that have come running into the light really begin to grab insects.

Night views are very negative about daylight. The same cannot be said about the sun-loving species, which in Spain have received the nickname "solar spiders".

In Russia, the diurnal species include the Central Asian sun-loving salpuga, small in size and whitish-golden in color, it can be found in the daytime in the steppes.

In 1992, the phalanx spider was listed as an endangered species in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Interesting video with a phalanx

More interesting articles

Phalanx - an insect belonging to the order of arachnids and inhabiting arid regions; it is for its preference for living in a desert environment that it is also called the "camel spider".

Description of the camel spider

Since such an individual is a desert inhabitant, its color is appropriate: sandy-yellow or brown-yellow.

Several tropical species are characterized by bright colors. Sopulga (as they used to call it in Russia) is a rather large individual, whose body (5-7 centimeters long) and limbs are covered with numerous bristles and hairs, which gives such a spider a rather menacing appearance. The ophthalmic tubercle with a pair of bulging eyes located on it is clearly visible on the anterior margin of the head shield; the lateral eyes of the phalanx are not developed. Of course, among these inhabitants of the planet there are also babies that do not exceed 15 mm in size, but this does not change the natural predatory essence of the insect. Camel spiders, due to the specific shape of the body, are distinguished by amazing maneuverability and mobility, some individuals are able to accelerate up to 16 km / h. For such skill they are also called "wind scorpions".

Spider life in nature

Almost all camel spiders are nocturnal. During the day, phalanxes hide in various shelters: rodent burrows, under stones, they are able to dig a lair themselves. Some individuals each time look for a new home, others may use the lair for a long time. By the way, nocturnal spider species are attracted by various light sources. For example, in the desert, they can come up to the light of a fire, their mass accumulation is observed under the lanterns, and poisonous spiders also penetrate into illuminated residential premises.

If the phalanx runs into the tent, then it is impossible to drive it out; except to kill or sweep with a broom outside the home. In this case, you should definitely wear thick gloves, and trousers should be tucked into boots. It is worth knowing that it is also impossible to crush a phalanx in the sand. With a deplorable result, namely the bite of a camel spider, the damaged area should be washed with any antiseptic (iodine, brilliant green, alcohol); with suppuration of the wound, antibiotics should be started.

Spider against its victims

Being essentially predators, these large spiders, of which there are more than 1000 species in nature, are omnivorous and also carnivorous. They will appetizingly dine with their fellow spiders, wood lice, bees, termites, black beetles, and will not refuse larger prey, for example, from lizards, rodent cubs and chicks of small birds.

In duels with scorpions, the phalanx almost always comes out victorious. Grasping the prey with lightning speed, the camel spider holds it tightly, tears it apart, after which it warms up appetizingly with chelicerae (oral appendages), well developed and outwardly resembling large tongs or claws. The camel spider is aggressive and capable of fiercely defending itself with increased attention to its person. Hostility is also observed in relation to each other. An interesting feature of the camel spider is the intimidation of the enemy with a loud sound when attacked. It is formed from contact and friction of chelicerae against each other.

Phalanx - the devourer of everything that moves

Giant camel spiders are known for their insatiable appetite; they are able to eat until they burst. And indeed it is. In California, some species of such spiders devastate hives and destroy entire swarms of bees. The bottom of the hive covered with dead insects and the phalanx, having eaten to satiety with a full belly against the background of its victims - such is the picture of the night battle. Moreover, the phalanx, unable to leave the hive due to gluttony, often turns out to be stung to death by surviving individuals.

Clearly, cases of gluttony of a camel spider can be observed when the latter is kept in captivity. If the phalanx is provided with an unlimited amount of food (for example, bringing insects with tweezers), then you can see that the arachnid will eat until its abdomen swells to an alarming size. There is even a threat that the spider may burst. However, this danger has no effect on appetite; the phalanx eats as long as the chelicerae are able to move.

Is the phalanx dangerous for humans

Large spiders are able to bite through human skin, which makes them dangerous to humans. Despite the fact that the phalanx does not have glands that produce poison and specific devices for injecting it, the bite of such a spider nevertheless poses a threat to human life.

The jaws contain the rotting remains of previous victims, often highly toxic. When released into an open wound, these decomposing enzymes can cause local inflammation and general blood poisoning. Even without such terrifying consequences, the bite of a camel spider is painful and unpleasant.

reproduction

Poisonous spiders breed quite specifically. The male finds the lady of his heart with the help of the olfactory organs located on the pedipalps (tentacles). The mating process occurs at night and lasts several minutes; the spider releases a sticky substance with spermatophores on the surface of the soil, after which it is picked up by chelicerae and transported to the female genital opening.

When mating, the male behaves reflexively; if the female is removed at this moment, the spider will not even notice this and will continue its actions, which have lost all meaning. During fertilization, the female is characterized by inert behavior; the male even has to drag her along. After intercourse, the lady, who was previously very passive, sharply becomes aggressive and is even able to eat the male, so it is better for the latter to get out as soon as possible.

After some time, the female begins to build a mink, in which she lays up to 200 eggs. Since the embryos begin to develop already in the oviducts of the female, small phalanx spiders appear from the laid eggs after a couple of weeks, which are devoid of articulation until the first molt, covered with a transparent thin cuticle, and remain practically motionless. After their newly formed integuments harden and dissect, and hairs appear on the body. The female is with the offspring until it gets stronger. There are suggestions that she even provides them with food.

In winter, the camel spider hibernates, some of this feature is typical even in the summer months.

Camel spider habitat

The desert terrain and arid climate are the most comfortable conditions for the phalanx to live. The camel spider is most commonly found in the world's vast deserts. It also lives in the Lower Volga region, Kalmykia, Transcaucasia, the North Caucasus, Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

Spain and Greece are familiar with such an amazing arachnid. Occasionally it can be found in the Crimea. The camel spider is almost never found in Australia.

Phalanx (solpuga, bihorka, camel spider)- These are arachnids that belong to the phylum Arthropoda, the class Arachnida, the order of the phalanx (Solifugae).

Where did the name phalanx (solpuga) come from?

In Russian, the word "Solifugae", which is the Latin name for the phalanx spider, is translated as "running away from the light of the sun." The population of South Africa has other definitions for this arthropod class of arachnids: "barber" or "barber". These concepts are based on local beliefs that claim that the underground shelters of the phalanges are lined with animal hair, sheared by camel spiders with the help of their powerful chelicerae (oral appendages). The name "solpuga" is based on a free reading of the Latin name of the detachment to which the phalanxes belong.

Spider phalanx (solpuga) - description, structure, characteristics, photo

The phalanx spider can reach a length of 7 cm. The cephalothorax has a dissected structure. On its front section, covered with a strong chitinous shield, there are two convex eyes, large chelicerae (oral appendages) with powerful pincers, short pedipalps with sensitive appendages, and walking legs. In total, the solpugi (phalanx) has 10 legs.

Unlike the front legs, which perform a tactile function, the hind legs of the salpuga are equipped with tenacious claws, between which there are peculiar suction cups. Thanks to this device of the limbs, camel spiders easily climb vertical surfaces.

The large abdomen of the spindle-shaped phalanx consists of 10 complex segments, each of which is formed by a solid abdominal and dorsal parts and is connected to the cephalothorax like a waist.

Salpugs have well-developed tracheal breathing, consisting of powerful longitudinal trunks and a system of small branching air vessels with spiral wall thickenings that permeate the entire body of the camel spider.

The entire body and appendages of these arachnids are covered with a huge number of fine hairs and bristles of various thicknesses and lengths. Such an unusual “hairy” cover of the salpuga, combined with their large size and fast movements of the phalanges, give them a rather formidable appearance, which allows them to scare away a potential enemy.

In addition, with the help of chelicerae, salpugs can make grinding or squeaking sounds designed to intimidate the enemy.

One of the signs of a phalanx spider is powerful chelicerae. In the structure of each chelicera, 2 parts are distinguished, which are fastened together by a joint. As a result, the chelicera looks like a crab's claw, which can be seen in the photo below. On the chelicerae of the phalanx there are teeth, the number of which depends on the type of arachnid.

Salpuga chelicerae are so powerful that they allow it to cut off the hair and feathers of the victim, cut the skin and cut the bones of birds. In danger, the phalanges squeak or chirp piercingly due to the friction of the chelicerae against each other.

The color of the phalanx spider is determined by the habitat, and salpugs live in desert and arid areas, so most species have a characteristic color in whitish, yellowish and brown tones. As an exception, variegated individuals are observed.

Types of phalanges (solpug)

13 families, which form a numerous order of phalanges, are divided into 140 genera, which include almost 1000 species. Among the representatives of camel spiders, the most famous are:

  • Common salpuga (South Russian salpuga, common galeod) (Galeodes araneoides)

represented by large individuals: their body length can reach 6 cm in females and 4.5 cm in males. The lower part of the abdomen and cephalothorax are sandy yellow. The top of the back has gray and brown shades. Powerful chelicerae are able to support the weight of the camel spider's own body. The common salpuga is an active nocturnal predator that digs holes, hides under stones, in burrows abandoned by rodents or crevices in the ground. These individuals are omnivores, including scorpions and other spiders. The common salpuga is listed in the Red Book of the Astrakhan region.

  • Salpuga Transcaspian (Galeodes caspius)

has a brownish-red color of the cephalothorax and a gray abdomen, on which dark stripes are clearly distinguished. The size of these arachnids reaches 6.5-7 cm. These camel spiders live in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

  • Salpuga smoky (Galeodes fumigatus)

is the largest member of the phalanx order. The body size of individual individuals can exceed 7 cm. The upper part of the belly of the salpuga, in the middle of which a grayish-brown strip is visible, is olive-smoky in color. The cephalothorax has a bright yellowish-ocher shade. The phalanx lives in Turkmenistan.

Types of camel spiders in the photo:

1 - female camel spider Galeodes caspius fuscus (lives in Kazakhstan)

2 - male camel spider Galeodes caspius fuscus (lives in Kazakhstan)

3 - solpuga Rhagodes (lives in Kenya)

4 - solpuga Rhagodes (lives in India)

5 - Salpuga Hexisopus (lives in Namibia)

6 - Chelypus salpuga (lives in South Africa)

7 - salpuga Metasolpuga picta (lives in Namibia)

8 - solpuga Zeria sericea (lives in Namibia)

Where does the phalanx spider (solpuga) live?

Falanges are typical inhabitants of desert, semi-desert and steppe regions with a tropical, subtropical and slightly temperate climate. Single species of salpugs have adapted to the conditions of wooded areas. The distribution area of ​​​​this family includes India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, the African continent, the countries of the Balkan and Iberian Peninsulas. On the territory of the post-Soviet countries, solpugs are found throughout Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia and the Crimean Peninsula. Phalanxes are absent only on the Australian continent and the icy expanses of Antarctica and the Arctic.

Most species of camel spiders are active nocturnal. They wait out the heat of the day in shelters, which can be chosen as abandoned dwellings of small rodents, stone placers or self-dug minks. Many individuals use one shelter for a long time, although some part of the salpug prefers to find a new place each time.

What does the salpuga (phalanx) eat?

Solpugi spiders are typical predators and are distinguished by pathological voracity. Despite the fact that the phalanges do not have poison glands, their diet includes large insects and even small animals. The main food for these arachnids are various centipedes, wood lice, termites, scorpions and spiders. Large species are able to cope even with lizards, small birds and small rodents.

Camel spider (phalanx): reproduction

During the mating season of the phalanx, the male, by the smell emitted by the female, looks for her, after which mating takes place. Then the male has to urgently hide. This is due to the fact that the "lady" begins to show signs of aggression and is able to eat her former "cavalier".

After fertilization of the salpug, the female begins to feed intensively and lays from 30 to 200 eggs in a previously dug mink. The process of development of new individuals begins in the mother's oviducts. Therefore, soon small phalanges appear, covered with a transparent, but strong and flexible film (cuticle).

The first days of the salpuga are motionless. They acquire the ability to move independently after the first molt, which occurs after 14-20 days. At the same time, the young growth begins to acquire hairs characteristic of this species. The mother is with the cubs until they get stronger, and at first supplies them with food.

The life of camel spiders is subject to strict seasonality. With the onset of cold weather, the phalanxes fall into deep hibernation and, in this form, experience adverse conditions.

The content of the phalanx at home

Today it has become fashionable to keep a saltpug spider at home. In order for such “pets” to feel comfortable, you need a spacious terrarium with a heater that provides the necessary temperature and a small drinking bowl. The bottom should be covered with a layer of soil and pebbles up to 15 cm thick so that the salpugs can dig minks for themselves. It is also desirable to sketch twigs and pieces of bark, creating conditions close to natural. Care must be taken when cleaning the terrarium, although these arachnids do not have venom glands, their bites are quite painful. A large phalanx is able to bite through human skin. The saltpug spider does not have poisonous glands, but rotting pieces of food can get stuck on its teeth, which, when bitten, can get into the wound and cause infection.

Interesting facts about the phalanx spider (solpuge)

  • The phalanges have other names, for example, "camel spider". It is due to the habitat conditions of the phalanges. And the specific shape of the body, which gives them the ability to move at speeds up to 16 km / h, and perform acrobatic jumps up to 1 meter in height, served as the basis for the nickname "wind scorpion".
  • Feeding "pets" at home should be moderate, since phalanx spiders kept in captivity can absorb food indefinitely. There have even been cases of their death from overeating.

The name of the phalanx spider is not true. The phalanx belongs to the class of arachnids, as it has an external resemblance to them, but is included in the order of the salpuga. Like spiders, they are animals, not insects. The difference lies in the structure of the body. It has 3 parts: head, thorax, abdomen. Spiders have a cephalothorax and an abdomen. The name of an aggressive and unpredictable predator varies depending on the habitat. In deserts and semi-deserts, it is known as the camel spider. In other regions - it is a bihorka, a wind scorpion, a solar spider.

Habitat

Salpugs prefer warm regions: arid steppes, deserts, subtropics, tropics. A large army of voracious predators inhabited all continents, with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. 80 species live in North and South America, 16 in North Africa, 100 in the southern part of the African continent. Up to 200 species are found in Eurasia.

Countries where they are well acquainted with solpugs:

  • Pakistan;
  • India;
  • Algeria;
  • Morocco;
  • Greece;
  • Spain;
  • Kazakhstan;
  • Tajikistan;
  • Turkmenistan;
  • Kyrgyzstan;
  • Azerbaijan;
  • Georgia.

Favorable places for the phalanx spider where it lives in Russia:

  • Crimea;
  • Astrakhan;
  • Volgograd region;
  • Kalmykia.

Individual representatives can be found in the northern regions.

Size and body structure

Common signs, or what all phalanx spiders look like:

  • the body is divided into head, chest and abdomen;
  • the body and limbs are covered with villi;
  • two eyes are visible in the center of the head;
  • mandibles-jaws, resemble claws;
  • 6 pairs of legs;
  • a pair of front paws performs a tactile function.

Animals can reach 10 centimeters. On the hind limbs there are claws and suckers, thanks to which the phalanges can move along the planes at any angle of inclination.

Varieties

The Solpuga order includes 13 families, which include 140 genera and about 1000 species.

Predators do not have venom glands, but a bihorka bite can cause blood poisoning. On his jaws, rotting remains remain after "dinners" and "dinners", provoking local inflammation of the tissues near the bite. The teeth and cutting edges of the mandibles can bite through not only the skin, but also the human nail.

The wind scorpion was named after its ability to move at a speed of 4 meters per second.

Salpuga common

The phalanx has a second name - the South Russian solpuga or galeod. Lives in the Astrakhan, Volgograd regions of Russia. Females are 1.5 cm larger than males: from the mandible-claws to the end of the abdomen they can reach 6 cm. The upper part of the body is colored brown, the lower part is dark yellow.

The gripping power of the claws allows you to deal not only with insects, but also with larger prey.

Salpuga Transcaspian

What does a camel spider that lives in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan look like? According to the description, its length from the mandible to the tip of the abdomen is 7 centimeters. The color of the body is a brown head and chest with a red tint, a gray belly with stripes.

Salpuga smoky

The largest bihorkas are found in the sands of Turkmenistan. Salpug giants reach 10 centimeters. The head and chest are painted bright yellow, the abdomen is olive with a gray coating and a brown stripe in the center.

How does it behave in the wild?

Phalanxes prefer to be nocturnal. From daylight, they hide in rodent burrows, under stones, or dig their own nests in the ground. The very name "solpuga" means "running away from the sun." Predators come out to search for prey at night. But, noticing a source of light in the dark, they rush to it in search of food (nocturnal insects).

Salpug, hunting during the day, in Spain is called a solar spider. Arthropods can climb vertical surfaces, move at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour, jump 1 meter in height and in length.

To intimidate the enemy, the phalanxes make grinding sounds with their mandibles. They themselves are not afraid of anyone. At the sight of an enemy-prey, the salpugs raise their head and chest and open their mandibles-claws in the direction of a swift throw. The aggressiveness of camel spiders can be directed at any object, regardless of size and species, for example, a person or another salpug.

With the onset of cold weather, the salpugs hibernate. The love of phalanges for warmth requires caution in their habitats: they can be found in a tent, shoes, clothes. It is not easy to remove an arthropod that has crawled to warm itself: it cannot be picked up, and one must be extremely careful not to be bitten. An angry salpuga can jump to a height of up to 1 meter. It is impossible to track her movements.

During fertilization, the female is indifferent to the male, but later, waking up from catalepsy, she can satisfy their hunger. For future offspring, the salpuga prepares an underground nest, where it lays from 30 to 200 eggs. After 3 weeks, small phalanxes appear, which the mother protects and feeds until the moment of independent movement begins.

What does it eat?

Phalanxes are carnivorous and omnivorous predators, in the absence of live prey they can satisfy their hunger with carrion. They do not know the feeling of satiety and a break in eating. In the presence of food, salpugs absorb it until the abdomen is torn from overstretching.

Solifugae Mining Objects:

  • insects;
  • woodlice;
  • termites;
  • beetles;
  • centipedes;
  • karakurts;
  • tarantulas;
  • scorpions;
  • small lizards;
  • chicks;
  • small rodents;
  • bees.

The phalanx attacks everything that moves and is related to its size. The prey is torn apart. Two pairs of mandibles soften it. Then the pieces are saturated with digestive juice, after which they are absorbed by the salpuga.

Centipedes

Centipedes are one of the food objects of the salpuga. Arthropods, like phalanges, are animals. According to the habitat, the object of attack of the phalanx is most often scolopendra.

The centipede genus includes 90 species. Animals prefer a warm climate: tropics, deserts, subtropics. But they can be found in desert places, mountains, karst caves, forests. In cool areas they reach a size of 10 centimeters, in the tropics they grow up to 30 centimeters.

Each segment of the long hairy body is equipped with a pair of legs ending in poisonous spikes. Under the head are poisonous jaws. The front legs were transformed into fangs to capture the prey.

The centipede goes hunting at night. Feeds on insects. Large specimens can attack mice, snakes and lizards.

In Southern Europe, North Africa, the most common and well-known species are ringed centipede and scootiger centipede. Despite the presence of poison and mucus in the centipede, the phalanx comes out victorious in the fight, with its lightning-fast and unpredictable reaction and the death grip of the mandibles.

Woodlice

Arthropods belong to the subclass of crustaceans. They lead a nocturnal lifestyle. They feed on decaying plant debris.

Woodlice live in damp places:

  • crevices;
  • a pile of stones;
  • a pile of rotting fallen leaves;
  • loose bark;
  • household waste.

For voracious phalanges, woodlice are a suitable food base, while other species of predators and birds avoid eating them because of the nitrogen released.

termites

For salpugs, it costs nothing to destroy a colony of termites. Herbivorous social insects cannot resist the pressure of the phalanx, which gnaws through the walls of the termite mound and devouring the female termite family. Similarly, a predator enters the hive, but then dies due to bee stings, unable to get out because of the swollen abdomen.

scorpions

Scorpions, like phalanges, belong to arthropods, a class of arachnids. A nocturnal predator with multiple pairs of eyes has the ability to have a 360 degree view. The villi on his body serve as organs of touch, thanks to which he captures the vibration of air and soil.

With its intimidating appearance, high speed of movement, the presence of a poisonous gland and a needle on the tail, the scorpion does not differ in aggression. It does not attack first unless it is hungry and in no danger. Its body is covered with a strong chitinous shell that protects from enemies. Not only a salpuga can defeat a scorpion, but also a praying mantis and a stag beetle.

Spiders

The object of the attack of the salpuga can be karakurts, tarantulas. Spiders are nocturnal hunters in the same places where phalanxes are found. The size of the female karakurt does not exceed 20 millimeters, the tarantula - 35 millimeters. Yielding to camel spiders in reaction speed and size, they become the prey of insatiable predators.

Is it dangerous for humans?

The phalanx is not poisonous, but its bite will be painful and will require antibiotic treatment. The salpuga will bite a person if he tries to pick it up, accidentally steps on it or touches it. You can crush an arthropod only on a hard surface.

Can you keep at home?

Arachnid lovers can keep a salpuga in their home terrarium. At the same time, one must remember about her ability to move along vertical, including glass, surfaces, and jump to a height of up to 1 meter. The terrarium must be airtight. For the animal, it is necessary to create shelters for the daytime. Depending on the type of salpuga, it can be sand, stones mixed with earth.

Arthropods love to bask under the rays of an ultraviolet lamp. The construction of such a heat source will make the stay of the salpuga in the terrarium more comfortable.

Live food is introduced into the terrarium when the phalanx is in the mink. The diet of a predator should include large insects, wood lice. They feed the phalanx 2-3 times a week, avoiding overfeeding, from which it can die.