Looks like I have managed to slip one last issue in before October, not only that but it’s our last step before the final countdown to Issue 100, something I’ve been aiming to reach for a long time. First we have to get last issues mention, about the vampiric thug, the Hood Mockingbird, out the way before we start this week’s issue about a creature with much (undeserved) fear attached to it. Hope you guys enjoy. ___________________________________________________________________

Issue #89 – Egyptian Banded Solifuge

Kingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Arthropoda

Class – Arachnida

Order – Solifugae

Family – Galeodidae

Genus – Galeodes

Species - arabs

Related Species – The Egyptian Banded Solifuge is one of the over 1000 species collectively known by names such as Camel Spiders, Sun Spiders and Wind Scorpions (1)

Range

Desert Stalker

The Egyptian Banded Solifuge is a medium sized arachnid with a combined body and leg length of around 15cm. Around a third of this length is made up by the large head, which features two large jaws and two large central eyes, which despite their simple appearance, are highly sophisticated being able to recognise different shapes and movement patterns (2). Often considered to have ten legs, the first pair of ‘limbs’ in all Solifuges are actually enlarged pedipalps which are used to detect vibrations and movement. Unlike spiders and scorpions, solifuges don’t have book lungs, instead having well developed tracheas to aid in respiration.

Egyptian Banded Solifuges are pursuit predators, feeding on invertebrates, small reptiles and mammals, often running down their prey, often at speeds nearing 10mph. Upon catching their prey the Solifuge will then pin its target to the floor and rip it apart using its fangs. When feeding the Solifuge chews their food, something that spiders and scorpions bypass using the digestive enzymes in their venom. To evade predation Solifuges tend to be nocturnal and retreat to their burrows when in danger.

Male Solifuges massage the larger female’s cephalothorax to avoid his potential mate from viewing him as food. Mating then occurs when the male flips the female onto her back, and then passes a packet of sperm using one of his fangs, before leaving to avoid predation. After mating the female fattens herself up so she has another energy stored to stand vigil over her eggs (3). Young Solifuges go through several moults before becoming sexually mature.

Impurest Cheese: Urban Legend Quasher #1 - Solifuges

Statement: Oh Camel Spiders, I know about them. I heard that they get over a foot wide…

Fact: The largest Solifuge Galeodes arabs reaches a length of fifteen centimetres long, a far cry from the foot long claim circulating the internet (4).

Statement: Okay so they aren’t massive, it still doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous. I heard they have a deadly neurotoxic venom…

Fact: While they can deliver a painful bite no Solifuge is venomous despite their enlarged fangs.

Statement: So they aren’t venomous, that said I did hear that they run at people screaming at them,

Fact: Solifuges do run towards people but not because they are trying to attack people. The truth is that Solifuges are heliophobic, and are simply trying to reach the shade produced by a shadow. In fact the name Solifuge actually translates from Latin as ‘one who flees from the sun’ further enforcing their light fearing nature.

Statement: You didn’t mention anything about the screaming though…

Fact: Solifuges can make a hissing noise by grinding their fangs together, presumably to mimic the sound of a viper to frighten birds who may predate on them. The sound itself is relatively quiet though, and is far from the banshee like scream stated in urban legend.

Statement: They still run towards people, I heard they can reach 30mph and even cover several feet in a single leap

Fact: While Solifuges are fast moving they only reach speeds of 10mph. As for jumping, Solifuges rarely leap, and when they do they can only cover a few inches per leap

Statement: Okay so what about the whole, ‘disembowels camels and lays eggs in their stomach’ thing?

Fact: Totally false, Solifuges lay their eggs underground or in rock crevices, and not in the stomachs of camels. In addition while able to deliver a painful bite, solifuges are unable to disembowel a camel

References

1. www.arkive.org

2. Beklemishev, Vladimir (1969). Principles of Comparative Anatomy of Invertebrates. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

3. Fred Punzo (1998) The Biology of Camel-Spiders

4. http://www.livescience.com/40025-camel-spiders-facts.html

Picture References

1. http://www.solpugid.com/Galeod_c_subfusc_m[1].jpg

2. http://www.solpugid.com/Galeod25.jpg

3. http://www.scilogs.fr/best-of-bestioles/files/454-iGaleodes-arabs-460x345.jpg

4. https://triplesizepugs.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/camel_spider.jpg

And with a swift click of the mouse and a few keys tapped I banish the myths related to the Solifuges. Next week’s bob-tailed issue brings a glowing reputation with it, but until then remember to critic, comment and discuss future species to cover as well as checking out past issues in Impurest’s Bestiary.

Many Thanks

Impurest Cheese