Metasolpuga

Last updated

Metasolpuga
Metasolpuga picta00.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Solifugae
Family: Solpugidae
Genus: Metasolpuga
Roewer, 1934
Species:
M. picta
Binomial name
Metasolpuga picta
(Kraepelin, 1899)

Metasolpuga is a genus of solifuge or sun spider. [1] The monotypic genus contains the species Metasolpuga picta which is native to Namibia. [2] It is one of several large, diurnal solifuge species that occur in the arid regions of southern Africa. [3]

Its habitat is interdune valleys of the Namib Desert. They are active when ground surface temperatures are between 40 and 61 °C. In experimental conditions they become lethargic at 20 ± 1 °C, and at 5 to 10 °C they become completely torpid. [3] During mid-winter it is believed to become lethargic in burrows for days or weeks. Egg depositing has been recorded during early spring and late summer. [3] Data suggests that male M. picta are short-lived and die after the mating season due to high energy demands and low food intake. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nocturnality</span> Animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day

Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moth</span> Group of mostly-nocturnal insects in the order Lepidoptera

Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is paraphyletic with respect to butterflies and neither subordinate taxa are used in modern classifications. Moths make up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of which have yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal, although there are also crepuscular and diurnal species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amblypygi</span> Order of arachnids comprising whip spiders and tailless whip scorpions

Amblypygi is an order of arachnid chelicerate arthropods also known as whip spiders or tailless whip scorpions. The name "amblypygid" means "blunt tail", a reference to a lack of the flagellum that is otherwise seen in whip scorpions. Amblypygids possess no silk glands or venomous fangs. They rarely bite if threatened, but can grab fingers with their pedipalps, resulting in thorn-like puncture injuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solifugae</span> Order of spider-like animals

Solifugae is an order of animals in the class Arachnida known variously as camel spiders, wind scorpions, sun spiders, or solifuges. The order includes more than 1,000 described species in about 147 genera. Despite the common names, they are neither true scorpions, nor true spiders. Most species of Solifugae live in dry climates and feed opportunistically on ground-dwelling arthropods and other small animals. The largest species grow to a length of 12–15 cm (5–6 in), including legs. A number of urban legends exaggerate the size and speed of the Solifugae, and their potential danger to humans, which is negligible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammotrechidae</span> Family of spider-like animals

Ammotrechidae is a family of solifuges distributed in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands. It includes 26 described genera and 95 species. Members of this family can be distinguished from members of other families by the absence of claws on tarsi of leg I, tarsal segmentation 1-2-2-(2-4), pedipalps with pairs of lateroventral spines, and by males having an immovable flagellum on the mesal face of each chelicerum. The propeltidium of the Ammotrechidae is recurved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathemerality</span> Irregular organismal activity pattern

Cathemerality, sometimes called metaturnality, is an organismal activity pattern of irregular intervals during the day or night in which food is acquired, socializing with other organisms occurs, and any other activities necessary for livelihood are undertaken. This activity differs from the generally monophasic pattern of nocturnal and diurnal species as it is polyphasic and is approximately evenly distributed throughout the 24-hour cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diurnality</span> Animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping during the night

Diurnality is a form of plant and animal behavior characterized by activity during daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The common adjective used for daytime activity is "diurnal". The timing of activity by an animal depends on a variety of environmental factors such as the temperature, the ability to gather food by sight, the risk of predation, and the time of year. Diurnality is a cycle of activity within a 24-hour period; cyclic activities called circadian rhythms are endogenous cycles not dependent on external cues or environmental factors except for a zeitgeber. Animals active during twilight are crepuscular, those active during the night are nocturnal and animals active at sporadic times during both night and day are cathemeral.

<i>Platyoides</i>

Platyoides is a genus of spiders belonging to the family Trochanteriidae. Its members are known as scorpion spiders and are found in sub-Saharan Africa and its islands, Madagascar, Réunion, Aldabra and the Canary Islands.

<i>Galeodes</i> Genus of camel spiders

Galeodes is a genus of solifuges or sun spiders. The nearly 200 species in this genus are found in northern Africa, southeastern Europe and Asia. Like other solifuges, they are mainly nocturnal and found in arid habitats. They often have long hairy appendages and are not as stout bodied or dark and contrastingly coloured as some other solifuges. Some Galeodes species are able to produce sounds by stridulation. These are usually raspy or hiss-like and may be imitations of the sounds of vipers, to serve a defensive function. As in other solifuges, mating involves the male depositing a spermatogonia that is manipulated into the female genital opening using their chelicera. The male strokes the female using the palps allowing her to be approached. Females will often feed on males before or after mating. The female then deposits the eggs in a burrow in soil and in some species guards them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep in fish</span>

Whether fish sleep or not is an open question, to the point of having inspired the title of several popular science books. In birds and mammals, sleep is defined by eye closure and the presence of typical patterns of electrical activity in the brain, including the neocortex, but fish lack eyelids and a neocortex. Some species that always live in shoals or that swim continuously are suspected never to sleep. There is also doubt about certain blind species that live in caves.

Blossia is a genus of daesiid camel spiders, first described by Eugène Simon in 1880.

Hexisopus is a genus of hexisopodid camel spiders, first described by Ferdinand Karsch in 1879.

Solpugyla is a genus of solpugid camel spiders, first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1933.

Solpugassa is a genus of solpugid camel spiders, first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1933.

Solpuguna is a genus of solpugid camel spiders, first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1933.

Ferrandia is a genus of solpugid camel spiders, first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1933.

Oparba is a genus of solpugid camel spiders, first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1934.

Oparbella is a genus of solpugid camel spiders, first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1934.

Solpugista is a genus of solpugid camel spiders, first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1934.

References

  1. "Solpuginae". BioLib.cz. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  2. "Genus Metasolpuga". The Solifugae Website. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Wharton, Robert A. (1987). "Biology of the diurnal Metasolpuga picta (Kraepelin) (Soligugae, Solpugidae) compared with that of nocturnal species" (PDF). J. Arachnol. (14): 363–383. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  4. Wharton, Robert A. (1986). "Biology of the diurnal Metasolpuga picta (Kraepelin) (Solifugae, Solpugidae) compared with that of nocturnal species". The Journal of Arachnology. 14 (3): 363–383. ISSN   0161-8202. JSTOR   3705676.