Is it a mite?

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Nomenclature

Solifugae (Solpugida)

Common names

sun spiders, camel spiders, wind spiders, solifugids

Probability of encounter

low

Quarantine importance

No known importance, but fearsome-looking, aggressive predators that are sometimes sold as pets (although they tend to be short-lived). Restricted distributions of some species could be of conservation concern. Some species are venomous.

Similarity to mites

None other than general arachnid features. Massive 2-segmented chelicerae are similar to some endeostigmatid and rhagidiid mites, but mites are much smaller and lack the clear opisthosomal segmentation of solifugids.

Morphology

Normal adult length: >1 cm, range 1–10 cm
Body tagmata: prosoma, opisthosoma
Eyes: 2–6 large ocelli
Antennae: absent
Mouthparts: 2-segmented chelicerae; leg-like palps
Legs: 4 pairs, legs I antenniform; legs II–IV ambulatory with divided trochanters.
Distinguishing features: prosoma with raised plate (propeltidium) protecting region of large cheliceral muscles and bearing 2–6 often large ocelli, and smaller plates; chelicerae chelate, very large and hairy; pedipalps leg-like with suckers at their tips for holding prey (and climbing); coxae and trochanters of legs IV bear 3–5 pairs of racket organs (malleoli).

Comments: Sexually mature male’s have backward pointing hook like structures called flagella on their chelicerae which are used in courtship. The opisthosoma is broadly joined to the prosoma and has 11 clearly defined segments with distinct tergites and sternites except where they are fused on the last segment to form a circumanal ring.

Diversity

12 families, 140 genera, >1,075 spp.

References

• Harvey 2003
• Muma 1976Muma 1976:
  Muma MH. 1976. A review of solpugid families with an annotated list of western hemisphere solpugids. Publications of the Office of Research, Western New Mexico University, Silver City 2: 1–33.