Автор: CyberGene
Дата: 24-07-12 15:50
Urban legends
Solifugae are the subject of many urban legends and exaggerations about their size, speed, behaviour, appetite, and lethality. They are not especially large, the biggest having a leg span of about 12 cm (4.7 in).[8] They are fast on land compared to other invertebrates. The fastest can run at a speed of roughly 16 km/h (10 mph) for a short distance, nearly half as fast as the fastest human sprinter. Members of this order of Arachnida apparently have no venom, with the possible exception of one species in India (Rhagodes nigrocinctus) as suggested in one study,[15] and do not spin webs.
Due to their bizarre appearance many people are startled by or even afraid of them. This fear was sufficient to drive a family from their home when one was discovered in a soldier's house in Colchester, England and caused the family to blame the solifugid for the death of their pet dog.[16] The greatest threat they pose to humans, however, is their defensive bite when handled. There is essentially no chance of death directly caused by the bite, but, due to the strong muscles of their chelicerae, they can produce a large, ragged wound that is prone to infection.
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