Assasin Spider - Interesting Article

[Johnnyster]

Just thought I'd share this National Geographic article I ran into.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0308_060308_spider.html

 

[8+)]

Those are so fascinating! It looks like a bird. You'd think they'd at least list the family: Archaeidae.

I remember on "Buggin' with Rudd", he was going on about them being living fossils. He said they evolved over 40 million years ago.

He said they were so primitive that they didn't even make webs. Yeah, like those "primitive" Salticidids.

Gee, I wonder which evolved later spiders that catch insects with webs, or spiders with elongated "necks" and chelicera evolved to catch spiders? :?

I usually like him, but he was so off base on that episode!

The same episode had them possibly discover a new specie of Vampire Ants; which are said to actually feed on the blood of their larvae. When they ripped open their home, they said, "Wow, for the first time on TV, you can see the Vampire Ants feeding on the larvae!!!" To me it was so obvious that they were just trying to move their larvae to a safe place, just like any other ant would do. Just doesn't make sense that they would take the time for a snack when their home has just been invaded. Yet, even the ant expert went along with it, just for the sake of "good" TV I suppose...

Whenever I see that kind of thing it makes me wonder what other BS I've been shoveled by a show, that I just didn't know any better to disregard?

 

[Pulk]

Gee, I wonder which evolved later spiders that catch insects with webs, or spiders with elongated "necks" and chelicera evolved to catch spiders? :?

sorry, why is the answer to this obvious?

 

[8+)]

Analogy: Which came first, ant or ant eater?

I do have to admit that I don't know for sure that they catch spiders out of webs, still seems like an adaptaion that would come about relatively late in the game.

Looks to me like it's captured an Oecobiidid in the pic. They do make a small flat web, but don't hold me to that ID!