Scientific Name of Spider

Spiders are invertebrates that belong to the class Arachnida, which also includes scorpions, solifugae, ticks and mites. However, the largest order under this class is Araneae – the order to which the spider belongs to.

With the exception of Bagheera kiplingi, all other species of spiders are predators, mostly preying upon insects. However, some larger species of spiders – such as the Goliath Birdeater are also known to prey on animals such as small birds, mice, frogs and even lizards.

Almost all spiders possess venom glands that inject venom into their prey through their fangs. With a handful of exceptions, spiders’ venom is generally harmless for humans. Interestingly, spider venom is a candidate for research – especially as an eco-friendly alternative to pesticides. Scientists are also researching the use of spider silk, which is much stronger and more resilient than synthetic materials.

Since spiders are essentially arthropods, their body shows segmentation and is covered with cuticles which are made of chitin. The body is classified into two segments called tagmata – the first part forms the cephalothorax while the second half forms the abdomen. Spiders also have fangs that are capable of folding away when not in use. The venom is delivered to its prey through these fangs. More interestingly, spiders do not have jaws and are not capable of chewing – hence, they have to rely on their venom to liquify the insides of their prey. The spider then sucks the digested body fluids out. However, some spiders such as the orb weavers wrap their prey in silk and then “vomit” digestive fluid all over it. It then sucks the liquified insect and may repeat this process as often as necessary to digest all but the hard, inedible parts.

Scientific Names of Spiders

• Grass Cross Spider – Argiope catenulata
• Western Black Widow Spider – Latrodectus hesperus
• Mexican Pink Tarantula – Brachypelma klaasi

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Also Read:

• Scientific Names of the Most Common Animals and Plants
• Insect Life Cycle: Introduction, Life Cycle, FAQs
• Entomology – An Overview of Entomology and its Significance