You arachnids are arthropod animals, found in terra firme environments. The animals representing the arachnids they are spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks. Spiders can be found in woods, swamps, deserts and homes, with many species of spiders living in holes in the ground, while others live in webs of their own making.
Scorpions hide during the day in burrows, bark, wood, stones and sometimes inside houses (in shoes, wardrobes, etc.). These animals are very active at night, when they go out to hunt their prey, which are mainly insects.
External morphology of a spider
the body of all arachnids It is divided into cephalothorax and abdomen. In ticks and mites these parts are fused; and in the abdomen of the scorpions there is a tail, at the end of which there is a sting, where the animal holds the venom.
You arachnids have a pair of chelicerae (in spiders the chelicera are used to inject poison) and also pedipalps, which help to squeeze the prey. In addition, pedipalps act as taste organs, that is, it is through these structures that these animals feel the taste of food. Spiders still have small structures called spinners that produce a substance that, in contact with the air, turns into thread, with which the spider weaves its web, or makes a cocoon to lay its eggs, or stores its food.
Dust mite in our homes seen under an electron microscope
Mites are microscopic animals and that's why we can't see them with the naked eye. There are species of mites that attack birds and mammals and that can also transmit some diseases to humans, as is the case with scabies. There are species of mites that live in dust that accumulates on furniture, rugs, stuffed animals, etc., and that cause various respiratory allergies.
The tick pierces the animal's skin with its chelicerae to suck the blood
ticks are hematophagous arachnids, that is, they feed on blood and can transmit diseases to domestic animals and even to humans. These animals can be found on lawns or in cracks in walls, where they stay until they find a host.
You arachnids more dangerous to humans are spiders and scorpions, which have a venom produced by special glands that can cause a lot of damage. It is important to remember that most spiders are harmless, but to avoid accidents with spiders and scorpions, we must take some precautions, such as:
- Check if there are any of these animals inside clothes and shoes before dressing them/wearing them;
- Always walk with shoes;
- Do not accumulate garbage, debris, wood, bricks, near homes, because they attract scorpions that come in search of shelter and food;
- Do not put your unprotected hand in holes or under wood.
By Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
