6 legged spider

[Dutchess]

Today I found a large six-legged spider in my shed. Lovely creature, seemed such a shame thame it had met with an accident having grown that large . What I wanted to know is - can spiders re-grow their legs? (As crabs can, for e.g.)

Cheers,

D.

[naturegirl]

The answer to that Dutchess is yes, sometimes they can!

Your large spider sounds like a Tegenaria, males of which are about now looking for females.

I am not an expert.

If Venger comes along, he may agree with me?

Venger is THE expert when it comes to spiders!!!

Naturegirl

[Venger]

Stop that! I've said countless times I'm just an amateur, I have no qualifications in entomology or zoology.
I'm just a vocal, well read, amateur that's all

As for re-growing legs, well yes they can but it depends when they lost them.
It's all to do with moults, just after a moult then probably yes. If it's an adult then it can't regrow them (no more moults you see)
There's a name for it that I can't remember - I'm sure Meta or No.9 will pop in and tell me (hopefully)

[Dutchess]

Hi Naturegirl,

Yer, I was telling my eldest son about our Venger earlier this evening! 'Can't believe how much he knows about spiders! I'd love to go on a spider watch with him! (Do they do such things??? )

I did get some pictures of the spider in question, on my hand and arm for size, and some really close-up ones for ID purposes. Unfortunately I do not know how to get them from camera to pc (it was not my camera) so I'lll have to do that another time when I have help to hand. Lovely creature! And I agree, probably male Tegenaria domestica. Big palps and spinarets (and very tickly I might add, even though two of it's eight legs were missing! ) .

D.

[Dutchess]

Hey Venger, you were composing the same time as I was!

Shame to hear about the mature spiders not re-growing legs....This one was pretty big, 2" easily. Can't see him moulting again Will post pics asap.

V, don't be modest! Amateur or not, your knowledge is much appreciated. Ok, so there are others here who know their own specialist subjects, but some subjects don't do it for me. Fungi for example - I cannot get excited about it (I offer my sincere apologies and appreciation to all you fungal peeps!) But a spider buff is a real hero to me

So there.

D.

[No.9 Spider]

Originally Posted by Venger

Stop that! I've said countless times I'm just an amateur, I have no qualifications in entomology or zoology.
I'm just a vocal, well read, amateur that's all

As for re-growing legs, well yes they can but it depends when they lost them.
It's all to do with moults, just after a moult then probably yes. If it's an adult then it can't regrow them (no more moults you see)
There's a name for it that I can't remember - I'm sure Meta or No.9 will pop in and tell me (hopefully)

Autotomy - regeneration of legs during a moult.
Some spiders are able to regenerate legs as adults, provided that they continue to moult as adults. This is applicable to the primitive Orthognatha (formerly Mygalomorphae - Tarantulas), but unfortunately not to the Labidognatha (formerly Araneamorphae) which comprise of 95% of spider species including all but one (Atypus) of our British species.


No.9 Spider

[Venger]

Thanks No.9, I never could remember that one

I should get No.9 and Meta to answer more posts

[No.9 Spider]

Have to hold my hands up here!!! Confusion abounds.

Autotomy is the voluntary separation of a limb! and does not really apply to the subsequent regeneration of a limb bit.

I am not aware of any scientific term for the regeneration bit so i guess regeneration is good enough.


No.9 Spider

[Venger]

Guess it was my fault - Autotomy was what I was after - guess I mixed the meaning up though

[Meta menardi]

I don't think there is a special term for it, I think regenerate will do fine. I have seen it in action, as my daughter was given a tarantula with a fairly badly damaged back leg. The previous owner said it had lost the leg and it had regenerated after the last moult. It (she) has since moulted again, and her leg is fine. Age estimated as about 30 years old!