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NikonUser

Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 2533 Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 6:54 pm Post subject: Spider Fangs |
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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.
 _________________ 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 |
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dissent
Joined: 10 Oct 2012 Posts: 144 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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Excellent photo. Makes me very glad I am not a potential prey item. _________________ - Ian
"Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't." - Mark Twain |
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Charles Krebs

Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 5789 Location: Issaquah, WA USA
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snic320
Joined: 17 May 2011 Posts: 118
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cappo
Joined: 05 Dec 2012 Posts: 16 Location: Redondo Beach, CA
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:16 am Post subject: |
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Amazing photo.  |
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NikonUser

Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 2533 Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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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.
 _________________ 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 |
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spongepuppy

Joined: 26 Nov 2012 Posts: 82 Location: Sydney, Australia
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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Spectacular. Any idea what sort of spider these are from? _________________ ---
Matt Inman |
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Rollin
Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 33 Location: Belgium
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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Impressive, both the subject and the picture! |
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Ecooper
Joined: 06 Jul 2012 Posts: 217 Location: Vancouver
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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Utterly spectacular! What species are they from? |
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NikonUser

Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 2533 Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:42 am Post subject: |
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Thanks guys.
Spider ID seems more difficult than insect ID; I'm just starting. Found a great book:
http://www.amazon.ca/Spiders-North-America-Identification-Manual/dp/0977143902/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355834274&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 |
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DQE

Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 1653 Location: near Portland, Maine, USA
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ -Phil
"Diffraction never sleeps" |
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rjlittlefield Site Admin

Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 18687 Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
There seems to be some problem with image permissions at the moment. I'm getting weird results in other places also.
--Rik |
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DQE

Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 1653 Location: near Portland, Maine, USA
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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rjlittlefield wrote: | 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. |
There seems to be some problem with image permissions at the moment. I'm getting weird results in other places also.
--Rik |
All photos are visible now.
----------------------------------------------
Delightful photos. I love the lighting and the overall appearance as well as the detail. _________________ -Phil
"Diffraction never sleeps" |
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rjlittlefield Site Admin

Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 18687 Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
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andre reichmann
Joined: 15 Aug 2012 Posts: 55 Location: sao paulo
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Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:16 am Post subject: |
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very nice stuff. |
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