Pseudoscorpion Pics

Pseudoscorpion Pics

Postby Westley Price » Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:52 am

I just wanted to share some pics of a Pseudoscorpion which I just happened to spot in my compost heap. Not many people know of these little inverts due to their small size and habits, but their occur virtually everywhere.

If you read up a bit about them, they are quite interesting animals, with strange habits. Most are very small (like this one) but one species reaches 10mm. As you can see, this one is smaller than an ant.

Apologies for the cr@p pics, but due to the animal's size, I needed to crop the pics just to get a decent view.

Image

Image

And here's one uncropped pic just to show the size.

Image

I hope at least a few of you have not heard about this animals before and learnt something new.
"I am dying by inches from not having anybody to talk to about insects." - Charles Darwin
User avatar
Westley Price
Forum gatekeeper
 
Posts: 4019
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:25 am
Location: South Africa

Re: Pseudoscorpion Pics

Postby Warren Klein » Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:32 am

Very interesting Westley. It is obviously an arachnid due to the presence of eight legs, it has pincers like a scorpion but no tail. Never seen one before myself, thanks for sharing.
An inaccurate naturalist is a pest and a danger, forever perpetuating illogical deductions and landing later naturalists in trouble. Damm and blast them all to hell in the most painful way. C.J.P. Ionides
User avatar
Warren Klein
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 932
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:16 pm
Location: Bela Bela, South Africa / Angola

Re: Pseudoscorpion Pics

Postby Mitton » Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:44 am

I went to a wedding at a place between Pretoria and Cullinan about 6 or 7 years ago and when we went to our room and wanted to get into bed we found one on the pillow. I caught it and found 2 more, looked a bit and found about 30 in the bed. We did not stay there and just drove home.

I put some in a glass and they attacked and ate each other!
www.moreliapythons.co.za
User avatar
Mitton
Forum gatekeeper
 
Posts: 3206
Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:32 pm
Location: Jhb

Re: Pseudoscorpion Pics

Postby Warren Klein » Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:48 am

I put some in a glass and they attacked and ate each other!


Maybe that's what they were planning to do to you if you slept in that bed!
An inaccurate naturalist is a pest and a danger, forever perpetuating illogical deductions and landing later naturalists in trouble. Damm and blast them all to hell in the most painful way. C.J.P. Ionides
User avatar
Warren Klein
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 932
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:16 pm
Location: Bela Bela, South Africa / Angola

Re: Pseudoscorpion Pics

Postby Westley Price » Wed Jan 29, 2014 9:05 am

Thanx for that Mitton, now I will be searching my bed, top to bottom, before sleeping tonight!

But I would also not sleep in a bed if these things were climbing around. I'm not that desperate for a good night's rest.
"I am dying by inches from not having anybody to talk to about insects." - Charles Darwin
User avatar
Westley Price
Forum gatekeeper
 
Posts: 4019
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:25 am
Location: South Africa


Return to Field observations and identification

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

cron