The So-Called Sun Spider Is No Spider at All

If you see a creature with eight legs, a furry body, and a spider-like appearance, you might assume it’s a spider—except in the case of the sun spider. The burrowing creature in this YouTube video is called a sun spider because of its appearance, but it actually belongs to an arachnid family called Solifugae. This sun spider looks like it can pack a punch, but it’s surprisingly harmless for such a tough-looking arachnid.

What is a Sun Spider?

The sun spider is also known as a wind scorpion or camel spider, but is neither a scorpion nor a spider. In Latin, the sun spider’s scientific name, Solifugae, translates to “an animal which flees the daylight.” Solifugae are a unique order of arachnids that thrive in deserts, using their powerful bodies to survive harsh conditions. Sun spiders are found in dry climates throughout southwestern North America, Africa, southern Europe, southern Asia, and the Middle East. The largest populations are in deserts, including the Sahara and the Mojave.

Sun spiders prefer moving in the dark. Bright lights often disorient them and confuse their senses. They rely mainly on vibrations and the sense of touch to detect prey and navigate their surroundings. These senses help them find hiding spots in the desert, like the sun spider in this video. Their coloring helps them camouflage even more once they’ve found a hiding spot. A pair of pedipalps at the front of their bodies helps them dig and burrow, while their hind legs are used primarily for movement. Powerful, two-segmented jaws protrude from the front of the sun spider and are primarily used to hunt prey. However, they lack the ability to produce silk, which is the main characteristic that distinguishes them from true spiders.

The Silkless Sun Spider

The sun spider’s inability to spin silk differentiates it from its web-weaving cousins. Instead, these Solifugae must rely on the burrows they create for protection. Like the sun spider shown in the video, they hide during the day to avoid the heat. In this way, burrowing serves two purposes: it keeps the spiders cool and hidden from predators. Sun spiders, like the one in the video, are nocturnal. They hunt prey at night, when the temperature is cooler and they’re not at risk of dehydration from the sun.

These spiders require shady spots to regulate their temperature. They are sensitive to high heat and are more active when the sun goes down. Solifugids like this one are a group of speedy arachnids, known for quick movements that help them survive, hunt, and evade predators. Their strong legs are built for excavation, and they’re quick to create permanent homes underground. Without silk glands, burrowing underground is their only means of making a home. These burrows also provide a safe place for sun spiders to molt, allowing them to shed their old skin and grow new ones.

One comment on this YouTube video asks whether the sun spider might be pregnant, which could be another reason for its burrowing behavior. If so, she may hollow out a space beneath a rock to lay her eggs. A single clutch may contain more than 150 eggs, and the crevice provides a safe place for her young to hatch away from predators.

No Venom, Just Jaws

Another unique distinction between the sun spider and true spiders is a lack of venom. The sun spider has no venom glands, and its bite will not cause a toxic reaction. While these arachnids may look terrifying, they rely on brute strength rather than venom. Surprisingly, sun spiders are not naturally aggressive and will not attack humans without provocation. However, their jaws can leave a painful bite, so if you’re not an expert, you should avoid handling them. In a video by Brave Wilderness, a sizable sun spider bites its handler without even breaking the skin, and only after being prodded.

When hunting prey, the arachnid’s mandibles are a juggernaut against small insects. Sun spiders use their two front pedipalps to sense prey, with help from sticky hairs which hold it in place. Strong jaws chomp away at the sun spider’s meal, leaving little chance for the prey to escape. Brave Wilderness describes a sun spider’s jaws as being like scissors, sawing away until the prey is cut into digestible pieces. Once their prey is thoroughly crushed, the sun spider injects a special enzyme that breaks down organic matter. This is not the same as the venom many spider species carry, and is only used on deceased prey. This makes it easy for sun spiders to slurp up their prey using a unique pharynx tube.

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