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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
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15-04-2010, 03:03 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Deal, Kent, UK
Posts: 144
| | | Weird image from Kent
I spotted a small spider blowing in the wind, so moved in close to photograph it. It was flapping about as though the wind was blowing its dead carcass, but looks like there is a head on a very long 'neck'.
Does anyone have any idea what this is?  
Last edited by SteveF48; 15-04-2010 at 03:09 PM.
Reason: added another image
|
15-04-2010, 03:06 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 5,355
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Its the shed skin of a spider, which is left behind when they moult  |
15-04-2010, 03:35 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Afternoon Steve,
I agree with Neil, it's the shed skin from a spider's moult. The mask is interesting! It shows the eye arrangement well - it may be a Lycosid... but I'll leave that to the more experienced to decide! I wonder if the ' neck' is anything to do with the palps? 
It may be worth re-posting this in the Spider-based sub-forum.
Take care, Jason  |
15-04-2010, 03:53 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 2,982
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
The split during ecdysis (shedding skin) is horizontally along the sides of the cephalothorax (front part of the body) so the eye mask is part of the top bit, the neck is the top of the body and possibly a shriveled bit of the soft abdomen. It really has to be a guess, but that vertical face with a big pair of headlamps looks like it could be a Salticid (jumping spider).
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15-04-2010, 05:11 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Leeds
Posts: 72
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meta menardi  The split during ecdysis (shedding skin) is horizontally along the sides of the cephalothorax (front part of the body) so the eye mask is part of the top bit, the neck is the top of the body and possibly a shriveled bit of the soft abdomen. It really has to be a guess, but that vertical face with a big pair of headlamps looks like it could be a Salticid (jumping spider). | Fascinating. The shedding occurs much like Carcinus meanus (the common shore crab) and other crab species.
From the eye arrangement (If I see correctly - two large forward pointing eyes with four small eyes below, with the other two posterior eyes positioned almost behind the forward pointing eyes) I would hazard a guess that this is the cast skin of Pardosa sp. The Salticidae don't have eyes below their "binocular" eyes which is why I would discount this family.
But then again I wouldn't trust me! 
Absolutely great picture though, really shows how spiders grow!
Dave. |
15-04-2010, 09:58 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 2,982
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Quote:
Originally Posted by DivingDave1980 Fascinating. The shedding occurs much like Carcinus meanus (the common shore crab) and other crab species.
From the eye arrangement (If I see correctly - two large forward pointing eyes with four small eyes below, with the other two posterior eyes positioned almost behind the forward pointing eyes) I would hazard a guess that this is the cast skin of Pardosa sp. The Salticidae don't have eyes below their "binocular" eyes which is why I would discount this family.
But then again I wouldn't trust me!
Absolutely great picture though, really shows how spiders grow!
Dave. | Blimey, Dave, You have better eyes than me, but if you can see eyes below the headlamps, it is not a Salticid.
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Genio Terrę Britannicę |
16-04-2010, 07:54 AM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Leeds
Posts: 72
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meta menardi Blimey, Dave, You have better eyes than me, but if you can see eyes below the headlamps, it is not a Salticid. | I think I can see four small eyes below, but then again it could be my eyes playing tricks on me! The lack of other eyes that I can see, and the fact the other two obvious eyes are of a similar size to the two "main" front eyes would edge me towards Lycosidae - but I have been known to be wrong in the (recent) past!
I'm finding how difficult it can be to ID spiders from photographs...
Dave. |
16-04-2010, 08:57 AM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Quote:
Originally Posted by DivingDave1980 I'm finding how difficult it can be to ID spiders from photographs... | Welcome to the club! Oh, the joys of having a stereo-microscope and pinned specimen... |
16-04-2010, 03:40 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 2,982
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Looking at it by day, I can see more now and I think Dave is right. What I took to be two front eyes is in fact one front and one side eye, the remaining front one being to the left and slightly further away. Poor light is not a help with these things.
It is generally considered that the best way to examine spiders under a stereo microscope is to have some very small glass beads in a watch glass or similar, and examine the beast under Alch or whatever, turning it and moving it with dissecting needles. You need very good lighting, usually cool fibre optic type that can be manipulated to give what you need. The plates in Robert's "Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland" vol three are drawn showing the specimens as seen under alchohol.
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16-04-2010, 04:44 PM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Deal, Kent, UK
Posts: 144
| | | Re: Weird image from Kent
Thanks for the fascinating responses. If I'd known what it was I'd have tried to save it for further investigation, though I'm not sure it would survive intact in my pockets especially with the dog putting her oar (paw?) in.
BTW the most common spiders in the vicinity are Pardosa (amentata?) and Pisaura mirabilis, which are both about the right size.
Last edited by SteveF48; 16-04-2010 at 04:47 PM.
Reason: extra information
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