[NatureNS] Spider Anatomy

Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:16:15 -0400
From: Phil Schappert <philjs@eastlink.ca>
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At 04:49 PM 12/5/2008, Peter Payzant wrote:
>Here's a question that has bubbled up in my mind from time to time:

My mind is full of bubbles, too, Peter. (and a great subject to come 
in at the dinner hour...)

>Everyone knows that spiders use their chelicerae (fangs) to capture 
>their prey, and to inject a venom that immobilizes the prey. 
>However, how do they feed? Do they feed through the chelicerae, or 
>do they have a separate mouth opening? If the latter, how do they 
>break through the tough shell of their prey in order to feed?
>Inquiring minds want to know.

The venom includes acids that "dissolve" the corpus of the prey and 
the spider sucks it up as a liquid slurry (which explains the dried 
"skins" (exoskeletons) of their prey you can often find beneath their 
webs). A good book on the subject (if you can find it -- I believe it 
may be out of print) is Foelix's "Biology of Spiders."

Phil

--

Dr. Phil Schappert

27 Clovis Ave.
Halifax, NS Canada, B3P 1J3
Home: 902-404-5679
Cell: 902-460-8343

www.philschappert.com
www.aworldforbutterflies.com

"Just let imagination lead, reality will follow through..."
                                             Michael Hedges  

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<body>
At 04:49 PM 12/5/2008, <font size=2>Peter Payzant</font> wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font size=2>Here's a question
that has bubbled up in my mind from time to time:
</font></blockquote><br>
My mind is full of bubbles, too, Peter. (and a great subject to come in
at the dinner hour...)<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font size=2>Everyone knows that
spiders use their chelicerae (fangs) to capture their prey, and to inject
a venom that immobilizes the prey. However, how do they feed? Do they
feed through the chelicerae, or do they have a separate mouth opening? If
the latter, how do they break through the tough shell of their prey in
order to feed?<br>
Inquiring minds want to know.</font></blockquote><br>
The venom includes acids that &quot;dissolve&quot; the corpus of the prey
and the spider sucks it up as a liquid slurry (which explains the dried
&quot;skins&quot; (exoskeletons) of their prey you can often find beneath
their webs). A good book on the subject (if you can find it -- I believe
it may be out of print) is Foelix's &quot;Biology of
Spiders.&quot;<br><br>
Phil<br>
</body>
<br>

<body>
<font face="Courier, Courier">--<br><br>
Dr. Phil Schappert<br><br>
27 Clovis Ave.<br>
Halifax, NS Canada, B3P 1J3<br>
Home: 902-404-5679<br>
Cell: 902-460-8343<br><br>
<a href="http://www.philschappert.com/" eudora="autourl">
www.philschappert.com<br>
</a><a href="http://www.aworldforbutterflies.com/" eudora="autourl">
www.aworldforbutterflies.com<br><br>
</a>&quot;Just let imagination lead, reality will follow
through...&quot;<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Michael Hedges</font> </body>
</html>

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