Chapter 26, Problem 22A

Summary Introduction

To write:

The adaptation made by spiders to live in a hot and dry attic conditions and only feed crawling insects.

Introduction :

The arthropods are divided into groups according to the body segment, mouthparts, and appendages of their body. The groups include crustaceans, spiders and their relatives, and insect and their relatives. The crustaceans have two pairs of antennae, mandibles, two compound eyes, five pairs of legs, and they are swimmers. The spiders and their relatives do not have antennae, six pairs of legs, and two body sections. The insects and their relatives have antennae, three pairs of legs, and three body areas.

Explanation of Solution

The spiders belong to class Arachnida that also includes ticks, mites, and scorpion. The spiders have cephalothorax, abdomen, and six pairs of legs. The anterior pairs of appendages are modified as mouthparts that is, chelicerae. The second pair of appendages, that is, pedipalps involve in holding and sensing the prey. They also involve in the reproduction in male spiders. The spiders use hunting adaptations such as camouflage and body adaptations such as suction-cup feet to live in the habitats. Due to such adaptation they can live in hot and dry attic. Some of the spiders can adapt behavior by mimic an ant and also change the way of web building therefore, they only use crawling insects as their prey.

Conclusion

The spiders adapt camouflage and suction-cup feet to live in dry and hot attic with only using crawling insects to feed.