Harvestman (Laniatores) with sticky pedipalps
Harvestman can often be colourful, they fluoresce under ultraviolet light, and they come in a bewildering variety of forms. They engage in parental care, building elaborate nests to brood their eggs and engage in battles to deter rivals and predators.
As if that weren't enough to stoke interest, some harvestman also possess a viscoelastic fluid used in prey capture. This means that fluid maintains its form under stress, resulting in an essentially highly flexible solid, and indeed, the greater the stress (movement caused by prey) the stronger the bonding. The adaptation is thought to have evolved in order to ensnare mobile, and evasive springtails.
Shot 'in situ' from Bilsa reserve, Ecuador.
More can be read here: www.newscientist.com/…/dn26340-zoologger-no-escape…/
Harvestman (Laniatores) with sticky pedipalps
Harvestman can often be colourful, they fluoresce under ultraviolet light, and they come in a bewildering variety of forms. They engage in parental care, building elaborate nests to brood their eggs and engage in battles to deter rivals and predators.
As if that weren't enough to stoke interest, some harvestman also possess a viscoelastic fluid used in prey capture. This means that fluid maintains its form under stress, resulting in an essentially highly flexible solid, and indeed, the greater the stress (movement caused by prey) the stronger the bonding. The adaptation is thought to have evolved in order to ensnare mobile, and evasive springtails.
Shot 'in situ' from Bilsa reserve, Ecuador.
More can be read here: www.newscientist.com/…/dn26340-zoologger-no-escape…/