Spider Fangs
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Spider Fangs
Ventral view of a pair of chelicerae showing the terminal fangs and the crushing teeth.
The fangs have an internal canal through which the spider passes venom, the exit hole can be seen as a pale spot just before the tip of each fang.
The two rows of prey-crushing teeth on each chelicera are offset. Between each row is a groove into which fits a fang. I can image that as the fang closes bits of crushed prey are squeezed out between the gaps in the teeth. If the teeth were opposite each other there would be no room for prey bits-and-pieces to be squeezed out.
The teeth appear to have a complex shape, maybe a pyramid or perhaps 3-sided.
I'm glad these things don't hunt humans, or cats and dogs.
20x ELWD Nikon M Plan on bellows at about 15x magnification, Flash, stryrofoam diffuser, ZS PMax. D600.
Image is intentionally overexposed to show teeth details; at a decent exposure the fangs and particularly the teeth come out black and featureless.
The fangs have an internal canal through which the spider passes venom, the exit hole can be seen as a pale spot just before the tip of each fang.
The two rows of prey-crushing teeth on each chelicera are offset. Between each row is a groove into which fits a fang. I can image that as the fang closes bits of crushed prey are squeezed out between the gaps in the teeth. If the teeth were opposite each other there would be no room for prey bits-and-pieces to be squeezed out.
The teeth appear to have a complex shape, maybe a pyramid or perhaps 3-sided.
I'm glad these things don't hunt humans, or cats and dogs.
20x ELWD Nikon M Plan on bellows at about 15x magnification, Flash, stryrofoam diffuser, ZS PMax. D600.
Image is intentionally overexposed to show teeth details; at a decent exposure the fangs and particularly the teeth come out black and featureless.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
- Charles Krebs
- Posts: 5865
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
- Location: Issaquah, WA USA
- Contact:
Thanks everyone for the feedback.
I isolated a fang and photographed it on my BHS. 62.5x on sensor. DIC.
Note the 2 rows of peg-like 'teeth' bordering a groove at the base of the fang.
The tip is grooved on the outer surface, and the venon opening can be seen.
I isolated a fang and photographed it on my BHS. 62.5x on sensor. DIC.
Note the 2 rows of peg-like 'teeth' bordering a groove at the base of the fang.
The tip is grooved on the outer surface, and the venon opening can be seen.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
- spongepuppy
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2012 11:03 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
Thanks guys.
Spider ID seems more difficult than insect ID; I'm just starting. Found a great book:
http://www.amazon.ca/Spiders-North-Amer ... 274&sr=1-2
and the best I can come up with for an ID is a Nursery Web Spider Family: Pisauridae, maybe a Pisaurina sp.
Spider ID seems more difficult than insect ID; I'm just starting. Found a great book:
http://www.amazon.ca/Spiders-North-Amer ... 274&sr=1-2
and the best I can come up with for an ID is a Nursery Web Spider Family: Pisauridae, maybe a Pisaurina sp.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
I am unable to see any of the photos linked in this thread. I then turned off most of the things that might have suddenly begun interfering with the forum, but as I expected this had no effect.
Am I the only one who can't see the photos in this thread??? I can see all the photos in other threads on this forum.
Am I the only one who can't see the photos in this thread??? I can see all the photos in other threads on this forum.
-Phil
"Diffraction never sleeps"
"Diffraction never sleeps"
- rjlittlefield
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23626
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
- Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
- Contact:
There seems to be some problem with image permissions at the moment. I'm getting weird results in other places also.DQE wrote:I am unable to see any of the photos linked in this thread. I then turned off most of the things that might have suddenly begun interfering with the forum, but as I expected this had no effect.
Am I the only one who can't see the photos in this thread??? I can see all the photos in other threads on this forum.
--Rik
All photos are visible now.rjlittlefield wrote:There seems to be some problem with image permissions at the moment. I'm getting weird results in other places also.DQE wrote:I am unable to see any of the photos linked in this thread. I then turned off most of the things that might have suddenly begun interfering with the forum, but as I expected this had no effect.
Am I the only one who can't see the photos in this thread??? I can see all the photos in other threads on this forum.
--Rik
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Delightful photos. I love the lighting and the overall appearance as well as the detail.
-Phil
"Diffraction never sleeps"
"Diffraction never sleeps"
- rjlittlefield
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23626
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
- Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
- Contact:
Yep. More details at http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=19015.DQE wrote:All photos are visible now.
--Rik