# Kuwaiti Solifugid



## Inverts4life (Jul 22, 2011)

Took me a little while to find some. Just wanted to share... I was pretty excited.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## burmish101 (Jul 22, 2011)

Wow those look cool. Curious how u managed to get those pics lol I read solifugids run pretty fast.


----------



## RodG (Jul 22, 2011)

Great photos! How did you manage to keep it so calm? Where did you
get it from?


----------



## pavel (Jul 22, 2011)

Cool!                    .


----------



## Inverts4life (Jul 22, 2011)

The one I that I took pics of was kinda tired so I could work with it a little bit. The other ones I have found have been very quick. Have to run to keep up with them. Found them in central kuwait. They seem to be everywhere.


----------



## InsectChick (Jul 22, 2011)

Thats so cool!


----------



## LeilaNami (Jul 24, 2011)

My fiance was over there in Kuwait when he was in the army.  He saw a bunch of these guys but he could never catch them, saying they were like little blurs running around.  He found quite a bit of A. crassicauda and was able to catch those, though (usually when he woke up :}).  Did you just run these guys down by yourself?


----------



## Inverts4life (Jul 24, 2011)

Yes I chased them down myself. lol Yes they are a blur when they move. I have found one A. crassicauda male. Kinda disappointed with the lack of scorpions I have found. Only 2 and a third that I found dead.


----------



## fartkowski (Jul 25, 2011)

Those are very cool looking.
About how big are they?


----------



## Michiel (Jul 25, 2011)

fartkowski said:


> Those are very cool looking.
> About how big are they?


As big as his hand is wide??? :wall::wall: LOL


----------



## fartkowski (Jul 25, 2011)

Ok 
So the better question is, how wide is his hand?


----------



## sfpearl300z (Jul 25, 2011)

Thats awesome, such a bizarre creature.


----------



## Michiel (Jul 25, 2011)

fartkowski said:


> Ok
> So the better question is, how wide is his hand?


LOL, yeah. They seem rather large if they would spread out the legs. Bodylength seems 5-8 cm??


----------



## 3ntomology (Jul 25, 2011)

Im just now realizing that solifugids have 10 legs... hahahaha


----------



## MrCrackerpants (Jul 25, 2011)

3ntomology said:


> Im just now realizing that solifugids have 10 legs... hahahaha


They are arachnids. They have 8 legs. 

These photos are amazing.


----------



## 3ntomology (Jul 26, 2011)

MrCrackerpants said:


> They are arachnids. They have 8 legs.
> 
> These photos are amazing.


well lets see if you can count  cus I see 10 legs in this picture here.


----------



## Michiel (Jul 26, 2011)

I think he meant "walking legs" cuz that's what people in general mean when they talk about "legs"......But, yes the first pair of walking legs are modified, and have a sensory function (the first pair of legs are not "raptorial" like in Amblypygi or Thelyphonida) I think (I am not very knowledgeable on Solifugids).....


----------



## 3ntomology (Jul 26, 2011)

Michiel said:


> I think he meant "walking legs" cuz that's what people in general mean when they talk about "legs"......But, yes the first pair of walking legs are modified, and have a sensory function (the first pair of legs are not "raptorial" like in Amblypygi or Thelyphonida) I think (I am not very knowledgeable on Solifugids).....


Yea, makes sense. Im from california, and the solifugids we have here are very small and dont get to be more than an inch of so- they also only have 8 legs. This species we are talking about is huuuge, so the extra two legs definitley serve another function... most likely sensory.. maybe balance also while "running"?


----------



## Inverts4life (Jul 26, 2011)

I have found 2.5 inch solifugids in California and Arizona. Just got to know where to look.  Not as big as these in Kuwait and the middle east, but are still fun to find. Leg span on this one is about 5 inches.


----------



## MrCrackerpants (Jul 26, 2011)

3ntomology said:


> well lets see if you can count  cus I see 10 legs in this picture here.


The first set are not legs. While solifuges appear to have ten legs, they have eight legs like other arachnids; the first set of appendages are pedipalps, which function as sense organs similar to insects' antennae and give the appearance of an extra pair of legs. The pedipalps terminate in eversible adhesive organs, which are used to capture flying prey, and for climbing. They stridulate with their chelicerae, producing a rattling noise. All solifuges have eight legs.


----------



## Michiel (Jul 27, 2011)

MrCrackerpants said:


> The first set are not legs. While solifuges appear to have ten legs, they have eight legs like other arachnids; the first set of appendages are pedipalps, which function as sense organs similar to insects' antennae and give the appearance of an extra pair of legs. The pedipalps terminate in eversible adhesive organs, which are used to capture flying prey, and for climbing. They stridulate with their chelicerae, producing a rattling noise. All solifuges have eight legs.


8 walking legs and the first pair having a sensory function was already established, but I didn't know about the adhesive organs for climbing and catching flying prey. Didn't know they could stridulate either (do they all posess the ability to stridulate?). Learned from you, thanks.


----------



## 3ntomology (Jul 27, 2011)

Michiel said:


> 8 walking legs and the first pair having a sensory function was already established, but I didn't know about the adhesive organs for climbing and catching flying prey. Didn't know they could stridulate either (do they all posess the ability to stridulate?). Learned from you, thanks.


wow, I didnt know that either... I knew they were sensory but wow, lots of new info!


----------

