Little Monsters - Part 37 II: Huntsman Spider Exoskeleton!

mweich (66)in #photography • 7 years ago

A most wonderful discovery! I found the cast off exoskeleton of the Huntsman spider that I posted in the previous part of this series!

Since details are so important to appreciate the cast off exoskeleton ALL images are clickable to ENLARGE!

The exoskeleton was remarkably intact!
Since the outside of spiders, insects, crabs etc are hard it is very easy to mistake a shed skin for the animal itself!

Here we can see where the skin has split at the back of the cephalothorax where it meets the abdomen. When the spider sheds its skin it is very soft and it slowly twitches to push the old exoskeleton off. It's a bit like taking off your jeans without using your hands!

Try it.

No, really.....do it! Unless you're at work or something.

Welcome back! Wasn't that fun!

While the legs and head section are well defined the abdomen is really much more like a bag that contains the majority of the internal organs (lungs, digestive tract, everything else) so it hasn't retained much of a recognisable shape.

From the top it is very easy to see why this spider is sometimes called a crab spider:

Nearly identical in shape to a Opilio or Snow Crab, which I strongly suspect is much tastier than the spider.

I think this shot is quite interesting; taken by pointing the lens through the opening in the cephalothorax and looking into the exoskeleton we can SEE OUT ITS EYES!

Each eye still retained the clear window like cornea as it is a part of the exoskeleton a second set of corneas will be developed underneath prior to moulting!

I hope you enjoyed this post, don't forget to click on the images to see them larger!

Comments and feedback are always welcome.

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Also, if you like macro photography, check out some of the earlier posts in this series.

I maintain and reserve copyright on all of my photos.

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#art #macro #nature #garden

7 years ago in #photography by mweich (66)

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timbo (64) 7 years ago

Spiders always peak my interest.
This was an amazing post and photography job well done.
@Timbo

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mweich (66) 7 years ago

Thank you @timbo! You've got a few pet spiders right?

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timbo (64) 7 years ago

I did indeed have 4 at one time but currently the only pets I have are 2 salt water tanks full of fish. I love catching things and then letting them go so I no longer have my spiders although 2 of them did die while in my care. They generally freeze to death in Colorado so I don't think catching them was to bad of an idea. I do miss them greatly.

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mweich (66) 7 years ago (edited)

Too bad about the spiders, salt water fish are a challenge too! Maintaining arachnid/athropod (I've got a hermit crab, I think it's alive...) habitats can be quite a challenge, it's difficult to tell how they are feeling. Do the spiders hibernate in Colorado or do new spiders hatch from eggs each spring?

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timbo (64) 7 years ago

Saltwater aquariums are a pain indeed. If done right they are beautiful and full of life. I also have several hermit crabs in both the tanks as well as anemones and fish.

I am unsure if the spiders hibernate but I do know about 80% of the males die during mating season from freezing to death.

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mweich (66) 7 years ago

I've kept freshwater fish a few times in the past. Saltwater is very beautiful but a ton more work!
I think it depends on the species of spider, some tarantulas live for years, usually in warm places though. Most of the spiders here in Japan end up dead in the winter but their eggs survive and hatch in spring.

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timbo (64) 7 years ago

Oh really? Japan sounds awesome for spiders.

In Colorado where mine are from the eggs hatch in the spring I believe as well but a lot of the male adults tend to die from being out in the elements trying to find a mate.

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