Post #14062

Solpuga: Scarier than a spider and a scorpion. Monster of the south of Russia. It specifically pursues a person! He lives among the scorching sands, but just the sight of him makes the blood run cold. He rushes so hard that you can’t run away from him. He will chase a person until he kills him with one bite. Meet the salpuga, camel spider, wind scorpion, or phalanx—perhaps the desert's most misunderstood predator. There are so many rumors, tales, legends around him - and everything is believed with great eagerness. But which of this is true and which is blatant slander? Let's figure it out. There are more than 1000 species of salpugs. They are distant relatives of ordinary spiders. All salpugs are so scary that they turn out the lights. The potbellied, hairy body grows up to 7 cm in length. And together with sweeping paws - up to 12 cm. The size of a palm! Powerful chelicerae add spice - those same giant “fangs” that stick out from the head of the furry chupacabra. The camel spider's jaws are more like claws than mouthparts. They are so strong that they can cut off fur, feathers, cut through skin and even bones. Do you already want to say goodbye to our beauty and run away with your heels sparkling? Don't get your hopes up. Salpuga will easily catch up with you. It accelerates on sandy soil up to 16 km/h! Is this too much? Well, let's just say that only a trained athlete can escape from it. If you are unlucky with your sports training, you will definitely lose in the race for survival - the average person rarely accelerates more than 12 km/h. It is for this reason that the people of the salpuga acquired another name: “wind scorpion”. Such speed is not a whim, but a vital necessity. The abode of the salpuga is deserts and steppes around the world. Here in Russia we also have a furry beauty. Residents of the Caucasus, Astrakhan region and Crimea - get a big fiery hello from the wind scorpion! Kilometers of sand, rare bushes and a merciless sun that is ready to bake you alive. Finding prey in such conditions is like a miracle. But the salpuga does not count on luck. In search of food, it is helped by the vegetation on its body - ultra-sensitive hairs detect vibrations of the surface. Yes, the phalanx literally feels you trembling with fear. Having discovered the victim, the salpuga accelerates towards it at the speed of a racing car. Tiny ants, armored beetles, poisonous scorpions, small birds, rodents, lizards and even carrion - the camel spider will catch and grind anyone into mince with its powerful chelicerae. Salpuga eats like it was the last time. Some individuals overeat so much that they temporarily lose the ability to move! Salpugs also don’t shy away from having a snack with each other. Especially during the breeding season. Females kill males 40% of the time! Not out of great anger, but out of great love for your kids! Arthropods lay 50-200 eggs and guard them for several months. All this time, the caring mother does