How many pinchers do spiders have?

Answer 1

Myths and misconceptions abound when it comes to how Spiders ingest, digest, and store food.

What many tarantula keepers see when they feed their charges often leads to misleading

conclusions. For example, if a keeper feeds a large grasshopper to a tarantula, then returns the

next day to find nothing apparent remaining, it's natural to assume the spider ate the entire

animal, exoskeleton and all. In fact, spiders are liquid feeders. If no solid remains are found, it

simply means that they are hidden somewhere in the cage.

In order for food particles to get past the extensive filter system of the spider's mouth, they

have to be quite small. Only particles less than 1 μm (one micrometer) get past. That's one

thousandth (10-3) of a millimeter, or one millionth (10-6) of a meter.

Feeding Behavior

Spiders are split into two major feeding groups based on the method they use for prey

manipulation. The feeding method of any particular species is based, perhaps erroneously, on the

presence or absence of cheliceral teeth. Cheliceral teeth are sharp, hardened points in a line on

the chelicerae above the fangs. The fangs fold in on top of the teeth, facilitating a firm, crushing

grip on the prey.

In most, but not all spider species having cheliceral teeth (including tarantulas), the prey is

ripped to pieces and manipulated into an unrecognizable ball, or bolus.

In spiders with no cheliceral teeth, although also included are certain species with cheliceral

teeth, the body of the prey is perforated in one or more areas by the fangs. The prey is not torn

apart, and if an exoskeleton is present, it looks much like it did in life after feeding is over.

Traditionally, arachnologists have used the presence of cheliceral teeth as the indicator of what

method a spider species will use when feeding on prey, yet accept that some with cheliceral teeth

are exceptions.

Cheliceral teeth may be a good indicator of feeding methods, or they may not. Many cobweb

weavers (Theridiidae) have few or no cheliceral teeth, such as the largest members of the family,

the widow spiders (Latrodectus). Even without cheliceral teeth, widow spiders are capable of

tearing the prey to pieces, but they don't. I suggest some other adaptation, such as a more

powerful sucking stomach, or specialized mouthparts, may be of equal value in explaining why

some species tear the prey apart and others do not. This hypothesis needs scientific evaluation,

but so does the cheliceral teeth hypothesis.

Answer 2

Spiders can be pretty terrifying. However, one thing that does not need to be worried about is teeth. Spiders do not have teeth, they have fangs.

Answer 3

Spiders do have pinchers, danny hendricks is wronge! they have 2 pinchers