A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
This really big and scary looking creature is an Amblypid or Tailless Whip Scorpion or Cave Spider of the Order Amblypygi, Class Arachnida. Related to Spiders, Scorpions and Whip Scorpions. It was bigger than the size of an outstretched hand, including the legs and has very menacing Chelicerae with long spines for catching prey. They are very fast, quite flat for fitting into crevices and tend to run sideways. The first pair of legs looks like antennae and are in fact called "antenna form legs" which they use to probe and sense the substrate around them and feel for prey. They are not poisonous but can give a sharp spiny nip with their chelicerae. Amblypygid means "blunt rump".
These were everywhere in the Bat Temple of the Mayan Ruins of Yaxchilan, on the walls, floors and ceilings of the temple in the darkest rooms. People walking about with flashlights would actually scream at the sight of one of these! Lacandon Jungle, Chiapas.
See the reference for mating behavior. Mothers will carry about their babies on their back until the first molt. Although primarily insect feeders, I wonder if these will also eat baby bats in the Temples. See also: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/redmite7.h....
Spotted on Mar 31, 2014
Submitted on Apr 16, 2014
No Comments