For the first time, scientists have been able to study the bone structure of one the more extraordinary serpentine tails in the natural world. The spider-tailed horn viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides) is found in the Zagros Mountain range in West Asia and remained unclassified as a singular species until 2006. A specimen found in Iran in 1968 was […]
Tag: spider
“As it lurks behind the trapdoor, a twitch on the trip wire alerts it that something tasty has just walked past…”
The global family of trap-door spiders, relatives of tarantulas, are also fond of burrowing. They have a special row of teeth that are adapted to help them dig holes to make a home even in very dry soil and sturdy legs to assist with the excavation. They construct a tunnel, around 15cm (6in) in length, which […]
It looks like a spider and moves like a spider, but this is no spider – it’s an evolutionary nightmare. Watch the deadly killer in action
In the mountains of Iran, a flycatcher scans the area for something to eat – and spots a spider in a crevice. But unfortunately for the bird, it isn’t actually a spider: it’s something far more dangerous (and venomous). This bizarre attack is actually an evolutionary adaptation of the spider-tailed horned viper (which we named […]
From local pond to outback dunny, Australia’s biggest frog count is here – and researchers need your help
They moan, hum, whistle and click, and can be found almost everywhere, from the neighbourhood pond to the most remote outback dunny. From Friday to 17 November, people across the country are encouraged to take part in FrogID week, Australia‘s biggest frog count. The annual event, now in its seventh year, aims to collect thousands […]
The Attitudes of Urban Residents on Encountering Animals in Cities
Urban environments are not just concrete jungles devoid of wildlife; they are their own ecosystems where humans and animals coexist. A recent study published in the Journal of Urban Ecology sheds light on how city residents perceive the presence of various animals in their immediate surroundings. T he study provides valuable insights into urban residents […]
Hunter and Hunted – Judah
Whilst searching for scorpions we found a very small Black-sting Scorpion or possibly a Deathstalker in the ultraviolet torchlight. When we got closer a spider was in attendance and it became clear the scorpion was entangled in the spider’s web and was in fact already dead. It appears the spider had killed the scorpion or […]
Argiope lobata
This spider has a wide distribution encompassing the whole of Africa and stretching to southern Europe and into Asia. Without the legs, it reaches 25 to 30 mm in length. The female’s characteristic lobes distinguish her from other spiders of the araneidae family. The web is loose and the threads are very thin. I found […]
Central Winds Park, 9/2/2013
A friend of mine found a Hooded Warbler and a Cerulean Warbler at Central Winds yesterday. Of course, I wasn’t there. I think that all the Hooded Warblers got together and decided to stay away from me whenever I’m in Seminole County–I can’t seem to get that one on my Seminole County list. So of […]