Is the phalanx spider poisonous or not? Phalanx spider or salpuga

Solifugae or phalanx spider is the common name of the order to which about a thousand species of arachnids belong.

There are other common names for the animal, it is called camel spider, wind scorpion, sun spider, phalanx.

It is more correct to call this detachment phalanxes. Because of its appearance, the question may arise as to why the phalanx spider is dangerous.

Description and characteristics

If we describe the phalanx in more detail, then we can say about it that these are large arthropod arachnids. Salpuga, living in Central Asia reaches a length of up to 7 centimeters. The entire body and limbs are covered with long hair. The front “tentacles”, called pedipalps, are also similar to paws, and when moving they perform their functions, only they are longer than the “walking” limbs. The phalanx has 10 legs in total.

Two pedipalps perform a tactile function, but the hind limbs of the phalanx have tenacious claws. Between them there are suction cup-like villi, thanks to which spiders can easily climb vertical surfaces.

Salpugs are very fast and are nocturnal predators. All phalanges are carnivorous, or rather, omnivorous, so their diet is termites, various beetles and even small arthropods. But sometimes they also hunt lizards.

The eyes of the phalanx spider are arranged like those of all arthropod spiders: in front there are two round, complexly arranged eyes, and on the sides of the cephalothorax there is one more eye. The salpug simply does not have “forward-looking” eyes. Why do spiders need compound eyes? They react to light and to the movement of various objects. Therefore, it only takes a split second for the salpuga to react to its approach. This makes her a great hunter and rarely when prey.

Types of phalanges (solpugs)

The 13 families that form the large order of phalanges are divided into 140 genera, which include almost 1000 species. Among the representatives of camel spiders, the most famous are:

Common salpuga (South Russian salpuga, common galleod)(lat. Galeodes araneoides) is represented by large individuals: their body length can reach 6 cm in females and 4.5 cm in males. The lower part of the abdomen and cephalothorax are colored sandy yellow. The top of the back has gray and brown shades. Powerful chelicerae are able to support the weight of the camel spider’s own body. The common salpuga is an active nocturnal predator that digs holes, hides under stones, in holes abandoned by rodents or in crevices in the ground. These individuals are omnivores, including the ability to attack scorpions and other spiders. The common salpuga is listed in the Red Book of the Astrakhan region.

Salpuga Transcaspian(lat. Galeodes caspius) has a brownish-red coloration of the cephalothorax and a gray abdomen, on which dark stripes are clearly visible. The size of these arachnids reaches 6.5-7 cm. These camel spiders live in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
Salpuga smoky(lat. Galeodes fumigatus) is the largest representative of the phalanges order. The body size of individual individuals can exceed 7 cm. The upper part of the salpug's abdomen, in the middle of which a grayish-brown stripe is visible, is colored olive-smoky. The cephalothorax has a bright yellowish-ochre hue. The phalanx lives in Turkmenistan.

Habitats

The camel spider lives in desert, semi-desert regions, and steppes. Prefers arid areas and high temperatures. Many species live in the Gobi Desert, the North Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Astrakhan, Transcaucasia, the Lower Volga region, and Volgograd. In Europe they are found in Greece and Spain.

The camel spider digs holes in the soil, hiding under stones and snags.

On a note! Salpuga is predominantly nocturnal, but some species are active during the day and are not afraid of sunlight. Phalanxes are afraid of people, try to quickly hide, but due to their carelessness they often penetrate into living quarters.

Lifestyle

Most night hunters hide during the day in abandoned rodent burrows, among stones, or in their underground nests, which they dig with the help of chelicerae, throwing away the soil with their paws. They are attracted to light by a cluster of insects.

Therefore, they crawl towards the glow of the fire, the rays of a flashlight, towards the illuminated windows. There are species that are active during the day. In Spain, such sun-loving representatives were called “sun spiders.” In terrariums, salpugs love to bask under the light of ultraviolet lamps.

The activity of spiders is manifested not only in fast running, but also in dexterous vertical movement, jumping over a considerable distance - up to 1-1.2 m. When meeting an enemy, salpugs raise the front part of their body, open their claws and point them towards the enemy.

Sharp and piercing sounds give the spider determination to attack and frighten the enemy. The life of predators is subject to the seasons. With the arrival of the first cold weather, they hibernate until the warm days of spring.

During the hunt, salpugs make characteristic sounds similar to grinding or a high-pitched squeak. This effect occurs due to friction of the chelicerae to intimidate the enemy.

The behavior of animals is aggressive, they are not afraid of either humans or poisonous scorpions, they are even warlike towards each other. The lightning-fast movements of hunters are dangerous for victims, but they themselves rarely become someone's prey.

It is difficult to drive out a spider that has run into a tent; you can sweep it out with a broom or crush it on a hard surface; this is impossible to do on sand. Bites should be washed with antiseptics. Salpugs are not poisonous, but they carry infections. If the wound becomes suppurated after a spider attack, antibiotics will be required.

What does the phalanx spider eat?

Phalanges are classified as carnivorous and omnivorous arachnids. They instantly grab the prey and, holding it tightly, tear it apart with very powerful chelicerae.

They feed on beetles, termites, small arthropods, and can also catch a lizard or small bird; they do not disdain carrion. In a fight with an adult scorpion, the phalanx most often emerges victorious.

With their chelicerae they cut off the hair and plumage of small birds and can crush thin bones. After such cleaning, the victim is strongly moistened with digestive juice and absorbed.

In America there lives one of the species of salpugs, which are called “hive ravagers”. At night, they sneak inside the hive and eat bees, after which they often cannot get back through the entrance (due to their swollen abdomen) and die from bee stings.

The phalanges are extremely voracious - sometimes they eat until its greatly enlarged abdomen bursts. Moreover, even when dying, the phalanx continues to absorb food for some time.

Reproduction

During the mating season, the phalanx male uses the smell emitted by the female to find her, after which mating occurs. Then the male has to urgently hide. This is due to the fact that the “lady” begins to show signs of aggression and is able to eat her former “gentleman”.

Mating usually occurs at night. The female attracts the male with her scent. Fertilization occurs by the spermatophore method - the male releases a sticky spermatophore containing sperm, picks it up with the help of chelicerae and transfers it to the genital opening of the female.

A certain role is played by special appendages-flags on the male chelicerae. The process takes several minutes. During mating, the male behaves reflexively - if the female or spermatophore is removed, the male will still continue his actions, not noticing that now they have no meaning.

After fertilization of the salpug, the female begins to feed intensively and lays from 30 to 200 eggs in a pre-dug hole. The process of development of new individuals begins in the mother’s oviducts. Therefore, small phalanges soon appear, covered with a transparent, but durable and flexible film (cuticle).

The first days of the salpuga are motionless. They acquire the ability to move independently after the first molt, which occurs after 14-20 days. At the same time, the young animals begin to acquire hairs characteristic of this species. The mother stays with the cubs until they get stronger, and at first supplies them with food.

The life of camel spiders is subject to strict seasonality. With the onset of cold weather, the phalanges fall into deep hibernation and in this form survive unfavorable conditions.

Danger to humans

The phalanges resemble spiders in appearance and cause horror and fear in people. At the same time, they are very fast and aggressive.

The phalanx itself is not afraid of humans. She perceives any movement around her as danger. Therefore, a number of rules should be followed to minimize the possibility of a bite.

Close windows and doors tightly at night, and in hot weather, tightly cover the windows with mesh.
If you have to walk with a flashlight at night, you should be careful that the phalanx does not rush into the light.
Be very careful when sitting by the fire at night.
When spending the night outdoors, close the entrance to the tent tightly and do not light a lantern in it.
You should not leave shoes or clothes outside overnight: the phalanx may crawl into them.
When hiking outdoors, you should tuck your pants into your socks and wear long sleeves.

The phalanx boldly crawls towards the light of a fire or flashlight in a tent. In general, these insects love light; they are even attracted to street lights. There is an opinion that they are attracted not by light, but by midges that flock to the light. They especially love electric light and ultraviolet radiation from a mercury lamp.

If a phalanx crawls into a brightly lit house or tent, then it is almost impossible to drive it out.

You can catch and carry it out by wearing thick gloves, sweep it with a broom, or kill it. This should not be done inside the house, as this releases a dark, not very pleasant liquid. It is almost impossible to kill a salpug on the sand.

During the day, the phalanxes hide from bright light under stones and in burrows. Therefore, you should not touch stones, piles of stones, or explore animal burrows with your hands.

If your home terrarium contains a phalanx, it is not recommended to pick it up with your hands.

Interestingly, when attacking, the phalanx frightens the enemy with a loud sound produced by the contact and friction of the chelicerae against each other.
Phalanges have other names, for example, “camel spider.” It is determined by the living conditions of the phalanges. And the specific shape of the body, which gives them the ability to move at speeds reaching 16 km/h and perform acrobatic jumps reaching 1 meter in height, served as the basis for the nickname “wind scorpion”.
Feeding “pets” at home should be moderate, since phalanx spiders kept in captivity can absorb food endlessly. There were even cases of their death from overeating.
A large salpuga can easily bite through human skin. That is why the phalanges are dangerous for people, although they do not have poison, like spiders and devices for injecting it under the skin; remnants of tissue from previous victims often accumulate in their jaws. These residues rot, so they are toxic and have a poisonous effect. If these toxins enter an open wound during a bite, they can provoke not only a local inflammatory reaction, but also cause blood poisoning. Even if the bite does not cause any consequences, it is very painful.

The phalanx spider has several names - salpuga, bihorca, phalanx, camel spider, Solifugae - and is a rather unpredictable animal. Let's start with the fact that this is not a spider. Outwardly, they are very similar to spiders - the structure of the limbs, their location and the presence of chelicerae, which is why they are classified as arachnids. About 1000 types of phalanges are known.

The appearance of salpugs is quite unusual.

Their body length reaches 5-7 centimeters, but there are also small species that do not exceed 15 mm. Their entire long body is covered with numerous hairs and bristles, which give the salpug an even more menacing appearance.

Salpugs are very peculiar - their lifestyle and structure combine both signs of high development and primitive features. For example, the structure of their body and limbs is very primitive, and the tracheal system is the most developed of all arachnids.

One of the characteristics of a phalanx spider is powerful chelicerae. In the structure of each chelicera, there are 2 parts that are held together by a joint. As a result, the chelicera looks like a crab claw, as can be seen in the photo below. The chelicerae of the phalanx contain teeth, the number of which depends on the type of arachnid. The salpuga's chelicerae are so powerful that they allow it to cut off the fur and feathers of its prey, cut the skin and cut the bones of birds. When in danger, the phalanges squeak or chirp piercingly due to the friction of the chelicerae against each other.

The color of the phalanx spider is determined by its habitat, and salpugs live in desert and arid areas, so most species have a characteristic color in whitish, yellowish and brown tones. As an exception, variegated individuals are observed.

Phalanxes are typical inhabitants of desert, semi-desert and steppe regions with tropical, subtropical and slightly temperate climates. A few species of salpugs have adapted to the conditions of wooded areas. The distribution area of this family includes India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, the African continent, the countries of the Balkan and Iberian Peninsulas. On the territory of post-Soviet countries, salpugs are found throughout Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia and the Crimean Peninsula. There are no phalanxes only on the Australian continent.

Most species of camel spiders are active nocturnal. They wait out the heat of the day in shelters, which can be abandoned dwellings of small rodents, stone deposits or self-dug holes. Many individuals use one shelter for a long time, although some of the salpugs prefer to find a new place each time.

What does salpuga (phalanx) eat?

Salpuga spiders are typical predators and are characterized by pathological gluttony. Despite the fact that phalanges do not have poisonous glands, their diet includes large insects and even small animals.

Phalanxes are surprisingly voracious and indiscriminate in their eating. They can attack almost anything that moves and that they can handle. They can even eat termites, chewing the walls of their rather durable houses. Californian phalanxes ravage bee hives.

Fertilized female salpugs are especially voracious. During fertilization, the female is so inert that the male sometimes drags her along with him. But after intercourse, she becomes very active, and the male has to quickly run away from her so that the female does not satisfy her hunger with him.

The repulsive picture of the gluttony of the phalanges can be reproduced by keeping them in captivity. If the phalanx is given an unlimited amount of food, for example, insects are brought to it with tweezers, then it eats so much that the abdomen swells and may even burst. Such a phalagna, doomed to death, nevertheless continues to grab and eat food brought to it until the chelicerae stop moving. In nature, such cases are apparently excluded: an overfed phalanx with an enlarged abdomen loses the ability to chase prey before it becomes overly saturated.

Reproduction

The life of camel spiders is subject to strict seasonality. With the onset of cold weather, the phalanges fall into deep hibernation and in this form survive unfavorable conditions.

“It’s interesting that when attacking, the phalanx intimidates the enemy with a loud sound produced by the contact and friction of the chelicerae against each other.

— Phalanges have other names, for example, “camel spider.” It is determined by the living conditions of the phalanges. And the specific shape of the body, which gives them the ability to move at speeds reaching 16 km/h and perform acrobatic jumps reaching 1 meter in height, served as the basis for the nickname “wind scorpion”.

— Feeding “pets” at home should be moderate, since phalanx spiders kept in captivity can absorb food endlessly. There were even cases of their death from overeating.

— A large salpuga can easily bite through human skin. That is why the phalanges are dangerous for people, although they do not have poison, like spiders and devices for injecting it under the skin; remnants of tissue from previous victims often accumulate in their jaws. These residues rot, so they are toxic and have a poisonous effect. If these toxins enter an open wound during a bite, they can provoke not only a local inflammatory reaction, but also cause blood poisoning. Even if the bite does not cause any consequences, it is very painful.

— The exact number and frequency of molting of the phalanx spider is still unknown to science. There is also no substantiated information regarding the life expectancy of salpugs.

Phalanx vs Black Scorpion (commentator burns)

For scientists, the name “phalanx” is not very convenient, because consonant with the Latin name of the order of harvestmen - Phalangida. The more commonly used name is “salpuga”.

Although translated from Latin it means “running away from the sun”, and this is not always true, because There are also sun-loving, diurnal species of salpugs. The name "bihora" is rarely used, and local residents of the different countries where the phalanx spider lives have their own local names for it.

For the most part, these are nocturnal predators, but among them there are also species that are active during the daytime.

Phalanges are quite large animals; the Central Asian phalanx can reach a length of 5-7 cm. The entire body, including the limbs, is covered with long hairs.

The pedipalp tentacles located in front are very similar to limbs and often perform their function. They look very intimidating, and it is unlikely that anyone will willingly want to get to know them better. The body of the phalanx is colored brownish-yellow.

The chelicerae are very well developed and resemble claws or large forceps. The ocular tubercle, on which there is a pair of convex eyes, is clearly visible on the anterior edge of the head shield, while the lateral eyes of salpugs are underdeveloped.

These very active animals are nocturnal predators, they are omnivores, they eat termites, darkling beetles, and other small arthropods, but they can also eat larger game - for example, a lizard. When attacking, the salpuga emits a thin squeak or chirp by rubbing the chelicerae against one another.

If the phalanx is attacked, it will begin to defend itself fiercely and is very deft in controlling its claws. She can even cope with a scorpion, although it is poisonous and very dangerous. They even behave aggressively towards each other.

Larger species attack lizards, young small rodents and chicks of small birds. If there is food within its reach, the Phalanx will eat without stopping until it dies from gluttony.

After some time, after actively absorbing food, the female lays eggs in a specially dug hole. There can be from 30 to 200 eggs. Young phalangeal spiders appear after 2-3 weeks.

The embryonic development of small salpugs begins in the female's oviducts, so the young hatch from the laid eggs quite quickly. At first they are motionless, devoid of joints and hairs and covered with a thin transparent cuticle.

After 2-3 weeks, molting occurs, the integument begins to dismember and harden, hairs appear and the salpuga can already move. The female stays with the young until it gets stronger. According to observations, the female even delivers food to the cubs at this time.

How many times salpugs molt and what their life expectancy is is not yet known. Salpugs hibernate in winter, and some species can hibernate even during the summer months.

Phalanxes mainly live in deserts, arid regions and semi-desert areas. They can be found in the Gobi Desert, the North Caucasus, Astrakhan, Transcaucasia, the Lower Volga region, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and in Europe they live in Greece and Spain. But in Australia they are not.

The phalanges have no poison, nor do they have poisonous glands, but their bites can have serious consequences. Large phalanges are quite capable of biting through human skin. Because their chelicerae retain the rotting remains of their victims, when they bite, they can enter the wound and cause inflammation or blood poisoning.

Different peoples give the phalanxes a variety of names - for example, “Scorpion of the Wind.” The phalanx got this name for their running, because they can reach speeds of up to 16 km/h.

There are many different fables about the toxicity of phalanges; for a long time people considered it terribly poisonous and very dangerous for humans. The phalanx itself is not at all afraid of humans, and at night it can easily run into the tent using the light of a flashlight, so always close the entrance to the tent.

When climbing into the tent, check to see if the phalanx has entered with you. Do not leave any things outside the tent; by morning a tired phalanx may crawl into them to rest.

It is impossible to drive the phalanx out of the tent; you can either kill it or throw it outside the tent with a broom. Be sure to wear thick gloves and tuck your pants into your boots. But keep in mind that it is impossible to crush it on the sand.

If you are nevertheless bitten by a phalanx, you need immediate first aid: wash the bite generously with any antiseptic - peroxide, brilliant green, iodine, even vodka or alcohol. If the wound still begins to fester, be sure to take antibiotics.

The body of the phalanges, unlike other arachnids, is divided into 3 sections - the head, abdomen and thorax. The head is quite large and convex. The chest is clearly divided into three segments, like those of insects and millipedes.

The abdomen of the phalanx consists of approximately 9-10 segments; there are no limbs. Three pairs of limbs are attached to the head section, corresponding to the mandibles and two pairs of jaws in insects; there are no antennae.

The remaining three pairs are attached to the chest segments, one pair to each. The first pair of limbs is located on the anterior edge of the head and occupies it completely, facing forward.

In terms of their physiological functions, they correspond to mandibles, which is why they are called tentacle mandibles, i.e. chelicerae. They are shaped like large, thick claws; their job is to capture and chop food.

The second pair of limbs resembles tentacles (pedipalpi) in appearance, but they also look like legs, and when walking they work exactly like legs. The third pair of limbs is similar in appearance to the second and also serves for walking.

The hind legs are noticeably longer than the other limbs; on their coxae from below there are 2-5 pairs of very peculiar organs called maleolae (appendages), similar in shape to triangular plates on stalks.

Apparently, these are some kind of sensory organs; their purpose has not yet been determined. The carapaces of these pendants are equipped with sensilla with many sensitive cells; their processes are connected into one nerve passing through the stalk of each plate.

Scientists did experiments to remove maleolae, but did not find any visible changes in the behavior of salpugs in this regard.

The abdomen of the salpuga is powerful, shaped like a spindle and consists of 10 segments. Salpugs have a powerfully developed tracheal system. The body and limbs are densely covered with hairs and bristles, sometimes soft, sometimes spiny, and sometimes very long.

This shaggy appearance, combined with lightning-fast movements and large size, has a terrifying effect on enemies.

Salpugs are extremely fast, easily climb any vertical surface, and can jump more than a meter. When meeting an enemy - and for the salpug, everyone around is an enemy - she stands in a threatening pose: The front part of the body is raised, the chelicerae with open claws are directed forward, the pedipalps and front legs are also directed towards the enemy.

Some species of salpugs screech their chelicerae frighteningly, rubbing them against each other. The vast majority of salpug species are most active at night.

During the day, they hide in various secluded corners - in Georgian burrows, under stones, they can dig a hole for themselves and happily climb into your backpack or unattended shoes.

Some species always use the same shelter, while others prefer to look for a new shelter each time. Nocturnal species are easily attracted by any light source. They can come to the light of a fire or lanterns, or enter illuminated houses.

Most of all, like many nocturnal insects, they like ultraviolet radiation from a mercury lamp.

In the scientific literature there is an opinion that the salpug is attracted not by light, but by insects that have accumulated near the light source. But this is still not the case, although the salpugs that come running into the light actually begin to grab insects.

Night species have a very negative attitude towards daylight. The same cannot be said about sun-loving species, which in Spain are nicknamed “sun spiders.”

In Russia, the diurnal species includes the Central Asian sun-loving salpuga, small in size and whitish-golden in color, it can be found in the daytime in the steppes.

In 1992, the phalanx spider was listed as an endangered species in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Interesting video with phalanx

More interesting articles

Phalanges, or salpugs, or bihorcae, or camel spider (lat. Solifugae) - order of arachnids (Arachnida). They inhabit arid areas. Phalanges are quite large arachnids. The Central Asian phalanx, for example, reaches a length of 5-7 centimeters. Their body and limbs are covered with long hairs. The pedipalp tentacles, located in front, are very similar to the limbs and perform their function.

All phalanges are very mobile and almost all of them are nocturnal predators. Phalanges are carnivorous or omnivorous, feeding on termites, bees, darkling beetles, and other small arthropods, but can also eat larger animals such as lizards.

When attacked, the phalanx emit a piercing squeak or chirping sound by rubbing the chelicerae against each other.

Phalanxes are characteristic of desert areas. On the territory of the former USSR, phalanxes were found in the Lower Volga region, Kalmykia, the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, the republics of Central Asia, and Kazakhstan. In Europe they are also known in Spain and Greece. They are found on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula.

Phalanxes are mostly active at night. During the day, they hide in various shelters, under stones, in burrows of rodents and other animals, or they themselves dig holes with the help of chelicerae, kicking away the soil with their feet. Some use the same hole for a long time, others make a new den every night. Nocturnal species are attracted to a variety of light sources. In hot desert areas, phalanxes often come to the light of a fire, gather under lanterns, and penetrate into illuminated living quarters.

The phalanges are extremely voracious and eat a wide variety of animals that they can handle, mainly insects, as well as centipedes, spiders, woodlice, etc. They catch termites by gnawing through the walls of their buildings. Large phalanges attack small lizards, chicks of small birds, and young rodents.

In fights with scorpions, with opponents of equal size, the phalanx usually wins. The prey is grabbed with lightning speed, held tightly, torn and crushed by the chelicerae. Some species are known in California as hive ravagers. At night, having made their way through the entrance to the hive, the phalanx destroys a large number of bees. The bottom of the hive is covered with their remains, and the falagna with a swollen abdomen from the abundance of swallowed food is not able to leave the hive through the entrance. In the morning the bees sting her to death.

Methods of struggle. Bee colonies are kept in dense hives, on stands. The entrance holes are barred.

Phalanges are nocturnal predatory animals. Their diet consists mainly of small beetles and termites, although there have also been cases of phalanx attacks on lizards, which allows them to be considered omnivores.

Due to the specific shape of the body, the phalanges are extremely mobile and maneuverable. Some individuals are capable of reaching speeds of 16 km/h. This property determined the origin of one of the names of the species in English - “wind scorpion” (“Wind Scorpion”).

Phalanxes prefer arid climates and desert areas. Thus, they are most often found in the world's largest deserts. On the territory of the former USSR, phalanxes were found in the Lower Volga region, Kalmykia, the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, the republics of Central Asia, and Kazakhstan. In Europe they are also known in Spain and Greece. They are found on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula. Surprisingly, phalanges are practically not common in Australia.

A large individual of the phalanx can bite through human skin and this makes the phalanx dangerous for people. The fact is that although the phalanges do not have glands that produce poison, and specific devices for injecting it, like their closest relatives - spiders and scorpions, fragments of previous victims often remain on their jaws, rotting and, as a result, very toxic. If it gets into an open wound due to a bite, the substances formed as a result of decomposition can cause both local inflammation and general blood poisoning. The bite of the phalanx itself, even without consequences, is an unpleasant and painful thing.

As an order, the phalanxes have the following scientific names: Solpugida, Galeodea, Solifugae Sundevall, Mycetophorae. Among the commonly used names of phalanges, it is worth noting the Russian variants - bihorki, salpugs - and the English ones - wind scorpion, sun scorpion, camel spider, sun spider.

These large arachnids are called phalanges or salpugs in Russia. In other countries, they are best known as the “camel spider” (due to their desert habitat) or the “wind scorpion” (due to their high speed of movement). There are about 1000 species of them in the world. The character of these arachnids fully corresponds to their appearance. In addition, they are extremely gluttonous. So in captivity, a phalanx can eat until it bursts, literally.

(Total 20 photos)

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Phalanges, or salpugs, or bihorcae, or camel spider (lat. Solifugae) - an order of arachnids (Arachnida). They inhabit arid areas. Phalanges are quite large arachnids. The Central Asian phalanx, for example, reaches a length of 5-7 centimeters. Their body and limbs are covered with long hairs. The pedipalp tentacles, located in front, are very similar to the limbs and perform their function.

1. The appearance of salpugs is quite unusual.

2. Phalanxes are characteristic of desert areas.

On the territory of the former USSR, phalanxes were found in the Lower Volga region, Kalmykia, the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, the republics of Central Asia, and Kazakhstan. In Europe they are also known in Spain and Greece. They are found on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula.

3. Phalanxes are mostly active at night. During the day, they hide in various shelters, under stones, in burrows of rodents and other animals, or they themselves dig holes with the help of chelicerae, throwing away the earth with their feet. Some use the same hole for a long time, others make a new den every night. Nocturnal species are attracted to a variety of light sources. In hot desert areas, phalanxes often come to the light of a fire, gather under lanterns, and penetrate into illuminated living quarters.

4. Phalanges are extremely voracious and eat a wide variety of animals that they can handle, mainly insects, as well as centipedes, spiders, woodlice, etc. They catch termites by gnawing the walls of their buildings. Large phalanges attack small lizards, chicks of small birds, and young rodents.

5. It is interesting that when attacking, the phalanx intimidates the enemy with a loud sound produced by the contact and friction of the chelicerae against each other.

6. Thanks to the specific shape of the body, the phalanges are extremely mobile and maneuverable. Some individuals are capable of reaching speeds of 16 km/h. This property determined the origin of one of the names of the species in English - “wind scorpion” (“Wind Scorpion”).

7. Phalanxes prefer arid climates and desert areas. Thus, they are most often found in the world's largest deserts. Surprisingly, phalanges are practically not common in Australia.

8. A large individual of the phalanx can bite through human skin and this makes the phalanx dangerous for people. The fact is that although the phalanges do not have glands that produce poison, and specific devices for injecting it, like their closest relatives - spiders and scorpions, fragments of previous victims often remain on their jaws, rotting and, as a result, very toxic. If it gets into an open wound due to a bite, the substances formed as a result of decomposition can cause both local inflammation and general blood poisoning. The bite of the phalanx itself, even without consequences, is an unpleasant and painful thing.

9. As an order, the phalanxes have the following scientific names: Solpugida, Galeodea, Solifugae Sundevall, Mycetophorae. Among the commonly used names of phalanges, it is worth noting the Russian variants - bihorki, salpugs - and the English ones - wind scorpion, sun scorpion, camel spider, sun spider.

10. Since phalanges are most common in desert areas, their color is suitable for such a habitat - sandy-yellow or brown-yellow, lighter species are also found. Several tropical species are brightly colored.

11. A feature of salpugs is their powerful, developed tracheal system. The main tracheal trunks open with paired spiracles on the abdomen at the posterior edges of the second and third segments.

12. These arachnids are mostly active at night, but there are also sun-loving species. Most salpugs hide from daylight in shelters: under stones, in rodent burrows, or they dig their own burrows.

13. With the onset of the breeding season, the male finds the female using the olfactory organs on the pedipalps. Mating itself occurs at night. The male releases a sticky substance with spermatophores onto the soil surface, then picks it up with chelicerae and transfers it to the female’s genital opening. After this, it is better for him to get away quickly, since the female after fertilization becomes very mobile and aggressive, and can eat the male.

14. After some time, she goes to build a burrow, where she lays from 30 to 200 eggs. The development of embryos already occurs in the female’s oviducts, so small salpugs soon appear from the laid eggs. Until the first moults, they are practically motionless. But after that, their new integuments become dismembered and harden, and hairs appear on the body. The female stays next to the offspring until they get stronger. Some assume that she brings them food.

15. The repulsive picture of the gluttony of the phalanges can be reproduced by keeping them in captivity. If the phalanx is given an unlimited amount of food, for example, insects are brought to it with tweezers, then it eats so much that the abdomen swells and may even burst. Such a phalagna, doomed to death, nevertheless continues to grab and eat food brought to it until the chelicerae stop moving. In nature, such cases are apparently excluded: an overfed phalanx with an enlarged abdomen loses the ability to chase prey before it becomes overly saturated.