The six-eyed sand spider has a shy temperament but a venomous bite that makes it one of the deadliest spiders. It camouflages itself with the sands of the desserts. Their flattened face and sideways arrangement of legs give them their alternate name, six-eyed crab spiders.
Size: They are 0.31- 0.59 inches (0.8 – 1.5 cm) in length, with a leg span of about 2 inches (5.08 cm).
Color: They have a reddish-brown or yellowish body, but often appear brown when hidden in the sand.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a flattened body, while their legs are arranged sideways. Their hairy body, help them hold the sand well, making the camouflaging technique a lot easier.
Like other spider species, these six-eyed spiders lay eggs in their sacs.
Nothing is known so far about juvenile six-eyed spiderlings.
They do not spin webs but hunt to capture their prey.
The six-eyed sand spiders are potentially venomous as their bite might include hemolytic and necrotic effects. Both of these can cause leakage of red blood cells, blood thinning, and destruction of tissues. But all these are in vitro studies, and real-life examples of encountering this spider are not known so far.
| Other Names | Six-eyed crab spiders |
| Distribution | Southern Africa |
| Habitat | Desserts |
| Diet | Scorpions or dessert insects |
| Lifespan | Estimated to have a long lifespan |
| IUCN Conservation | Not listed |
Image Credits: Africageographic.com, I.pinimg.com, Pulpbits.net
The six-eyed sand spider has a shy temperament but a venomous bite that makes it one of the deadliest spiders. It camouflages itself with the sands of the desserts. Their flattened face and sideways arrangement of legs give them their alternate name, six-eyed crab spiders.
Size: They are 0.31- 0.59 inches (0.8 – 1.5 cm) in length, with a leg span of about 2 inches (5.08 cm).
Color: They have a reddish-brown or yellowish body, but often appear brown when hidden in the sand.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a flattened body, while their legs are arranged sideways. Their hairy body, help them hold the sand well, making the camouflaging technique a lot easier.
Like other spider species, these six-eyed spiders lay eggs in their sacs.
Nothing is known so far about juvenile six-eyed spiderlings.
They do not spin webs but hunt to capture their prey.
The six-eyed sand spiders are potentially venomous as their bite might include hemolytic and necrotic effects. Both of these can cause leakage of red blood cells, blood thinning, and destruction of tissues. But all these are in vitro studies, and real-life examples of encountering this spider are not known so far.
| Other Names | Six-eyed crab spiders |
| Distribution | Southern Africa |
| Habitat | Desserts |
| Diet | Scorpions or dessert insects |
| Lifespan | Estimated to have a long lifespan |
| IUCN Conservation | Not listed |
Image Credits: Africageographic.com, I.pinimg.com, Pulpbits.net
