Fun Scorpion-tailed Spider Facts For Kids
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The scorpion-tailed spider, Arachnura higginsi, is a rare specimen found in Africa, Asia, and Australia. The genus name of this species is Arachnura. The name of these spiders is formed by combining two Ancient Greek terms - ‘Arachne which means 'spider', and 'uro', which translates to ‘tail’. An absolutely terrifying combination of spiders and scorpions, isn't it?
These tails are spotted only in the females of this species. Even though the name includes the word ‘scorpion’, these arachnids are not at all related to scorpions! This species is also known by other names too, such as the drag-tailed spider and the scorpion spider.
If you're enjoying these facts about the scorpion-tailed spider, then you will be amazed reading our other ‘web’-pages on the giant ichneumon wasp and the queen conch!
Scorpion-tailed Spider Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Scorpion-tailed Spider?
The scorpion-tailed spider, Arachnura higginsi, is a type of spider.
What class of animal does a Scorpion-tailed Spider belong to?
The scorpion-tailed spider comes under the class of Arachnids.
How many Scorpion-tailed Spiders are there in the world?
There is no exact information on the total count of scorpion-tailed spiders. However, we know that there are 12 species of the genus Arachnura existing on the planet.
Where does a Scorpion-tailed Spider live?
The scorpion-tailed spider lives in gardens, grass plains, and forests.
What is a Scorpion-tailed Spider's habitat?
These arachnids are found across Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Australia too! These spiders are found in forests, gardens, and grasslands. The webs of these spiders are usually situated near ground level. These webs are spun either in a vertical orientation, horizontal orientation, or at an angle.
Who does Scorpion-tailed Spider live with?
They usually live alone or in pairs.
How long does a Scorpion-tailed Spider live?
We do not have the information related to the lifespan of the Genus Arachnura.
How do they reproduce?
About 50-60 eggs are deposited by the female spider in a small egg sac and about eight sacs are distributed across the web. The egg-carrying sac is oval in shape, has a wooly texture, and is brown in color. The little eggs inside are cream-hued.
What is their conservation status?
We could not find information on their current conservation status.
Scorpion-tailed Spider Fun Facts
What do Scorpion-tailed Spiders look like?
The Arachnura higginsi, or the scorpion orb weaver, is one of the spider species under the Arachnura genus. The scorpion-like tail is present only on the female arachnids, the male spiders do not have this tail.
The body color of the Arachnura higginsi varies between individuals, some may have cream or orange bodies, while others may have brown, black, or dull green bodies. Some of these might also sport a bright yellow or red patch that is present on their abdomen.
The younger babies of this species have brighter body colors - pink, brown, red, cream, or even yellow. Their large shoulders support the curling of the tail.
How cute are they?
We would rather call this species scary than cute!
How do they communicate?
Unfortunately, we are not aware of the communication techniques of the scorpion-tailed spider.
How big is a Scorpion-tailed Spider?
These spiders are really, really small! The male spider grows up to 0.079 in (0.2 cm). The female spiders are comparatively much larger, growing up to 0.39-1.18 in (1-3 cm).
This makes the male spiders as long as a fingernail, and the females are equal to the diameter of a big coin.
How fast can a Scorpion-tailed Spider move?
Sadly, we do not have enough information on the speed of the scorpion-tailed spider.
How much does a Scorpion-tailed Spider weigh?
With their extremely small body sizes, the scorpion-tailed spider weighs less than 0.07 oz (2 g).
What are their male and female names of the species?
The male and female scorpion-tailed spiders do not have any gender-specific names.
What would you call a baby Scorpion-tailed Spider?
There is no specific baby name for this species. In general, a baby spider is known as a spiderling.
What do they eat?
The scorpion-tailed spider feasts mainly on small insects. These insects get stuck to the silky webs and are then feasted on by the spiders.
Are they poisonous?
Yes, the scorpion-tailed spider is a poisonous animal. However, this poison causes only a mild reaction in humans. It is usually the female spiders that carry more venom.
Would they make a good pet?
We think they should not be kept as pets as they are extremely small in size, and handling them must be done with utmost safety, else it would harm them.
Did you know...
The tails of these species curl up in situations of disturbance, but this tail is completely harmless.
They stay in their webs throughout the day and look like fallen plant litter, such as dead leaves, flowers, or twigs.
Arachnura higginsi is also known as the tailed spider, and this spider is commonly found in Australia.
The 12 different species of the Arachnura are:
Arachnura angura: found native to India.
Arachnura feredayi: found mainly in New Zealand and Australia.
Arachnura heptotubercula: spotted only in China.
Arachnura higginsi: found in abundance in Australia.
Arachnura logio: found in China, Japan, and Korea.
Arachnura melanura: population present across India to Indonesia. Also found in Japan, Papua New Guinea as well as Australia.
Arachnura perfissa: mainly located in Myanmar.
Arachnura pygmaea: located in parts of Indonesia.
Arachnura quinqueapicata : also spotted in Indonesia .
Arachnura scorpionoides: seen in Congo, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Mayotte. This is the only species in Africa.
Arachnura simoni: found in New Caledonia.
Arachnura spinosa: sighted in Taiwan.
How do their webs work?
The webs built by the harmless scorpion orb-weaver are vertical, but they are not fully circular. The two upper sections are left incomplete. The long strings of egg sacs are produced from the very top of the spun web all the way to the center. The female then rests at the lower end, waiting for the spiderlings to hatch.
Can their poison kill?
This species is hardly harmful, and generally, they do not bite. However, in case they bite, the poison does not cause many problems and might show only mild symptoms, such as swelling or redness.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods including the queen butterfly and the kudzu bug.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Scorpion tailed spider coloring pages.
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