The Daddy-long-legs Spider in 3D by Wim van Egmond


a male Pholcus phalangioides showing the characteristic pedipalps

So Pholcus is a formidable hunter. It has only small chelicera ('jaws') but with a very potent poison. After a quick bite it wraps its prey in silk. Its long legs are very manoeuvrable which is not only of use in killing but also in defence.
Using their legs daddy-long-legs spiders can make themselves almost invisible. By rapidly shaking when hanging in their web they create a motion-blur and because of their long thin legs the image of the spider vanishes almost completely. A very effective technique to outwit predators.

Like all spiders Pholcus is a very interesting subject for microscopic study. The image shows a male. The pedipalps (the appendages on the front end) are much enlarged in male spiders. They are the secondary reproductive organs.

ENLARGE IMAGE

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More stereoscopic spiders can be found in the article The Zebra-spider in 3D
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