14/08/2024
The camel spider, also known as a wind scorpion or sun spider, is an arachnid of the order solifugae. Neither true spiders (lacking any spinnerets for web-making) nor true scorpions, a better term to refer to camel spiders would be solifuges or solpugids. This name is related to the fact that camel spiders live in hot, desert environments, yet will constantly seek shelter from the sun by running into shade.
Sporting an enlarged cephalothorax with massive fanged jaws and growing to sizes of 15cm, camel spiders hunt by running down their prey (sometimes running as quickly as 16 km/h) and shredding them with their large fangs. Prey of the camel spider includes many desert insects and arachnids, small lizards and even some small birds. Predators include slit-faced bats, scorpions, toads and other insectivores.
Despite a threatening appearance and a reputation for aggression that comes from the camel spider’s tendency to run at humans in order to hide in their shadow, they are almost completely harmless to humans, sporting no venom in their bite (but it is still painful as the fangs can break the skin)
An interesting behaviour of camel spiders is that they will take to anthills and begin butchering the ants, before erecting large co**se walls that serve to keep the camel spider safe as it clears out the anthill. Scientists are unsure why camel spiders do this, with the popular opinions being that they are caching the dead ants for an easy meal later, or are trying to take the anthill for themselves as a home.
Natural range: most desert environments, so places like the middle east, Texas, and southern Spain. The only continents that lack camel spiders are Australia and Antarctica.
Lifespan: A short average lifespan of 1 year, after an 11 week gestation period the female will lay eggs that hatch roughly a month later.
