Order Amblypygi

This is an ancient order of arachnids. Currently there are five families, 17 genera and around 155 species known. Although scary-looking, these creatures are not venomous, but they are armed with grasping, spiked pedipalps which, in the larger species, could probably cause minor injury. Primarily nocturnal or cave-living they can move very quickly, often sideways, using the rearmost six walking legs. The front pair of legs is highly elongated and used as antennae.

Most species are arthropod predators but they have been known to prey on vertebrates. Females may carry the young on their back and there are indications of both parental care and communication beyond this. Both the mother and siblings appear to communicate with each other.

In Trinidad there is a species that has been observed pulling shrimps from a stream and consuming them. They appear to cope with water quite well and one species has been observed to survive a submersion of 24 hours - apparently through trapped air.

Amblypygid species 1

ARACH 0198 Amblypygid, Atta, Guyana

Amblypygid Species 2

Amblypygid Species 3

Paraphrynus? sp