Phrynus longipes

Phrynus longipes are found in most tropical and subtropical climates across the world. They have a preference for the warm and wet climate and a strong distaste for cold and freezing temperatures. Phrynus longipes are typically found in the forests of Central America and the northernmost point of South America.

However, once they are in a tropical or subtropical climate, they have been found in an array of habitats within them.[4] From forests to caves, Phrynus longipes can live in a wide variety of homes given the environment suits them. Different homes (such as caves, trees, and shrubs) provide different evolutionary advantages and disadvantages. Despite their ability and willingness to live in a wide variety of homes, Phrynus longipes has been shown to prefer to live near or in massive tree stumps. It is believed this is the case as most of the prey for this specific species also tends to gather around large tree stumps. Thus, the predator follows the prey to its nearest location.

Phrynus longipes are nocturnal predators meaning they use the disguise of darkness to hunt and ambush their prey. Using their first pair of legs as sensors, they are able to detect a wide array of prey.

Phrynus longipes feed on a variety of invertebrates as their primary source of food. However, these are one of the only species of amblypygid that have been recorded eating small vertebrates. One Phrynus longipes was recorded feeding on a hummingbird in the British Virgin Islands.[5] This specific example was the first ever recorded instance of a bird being preyed upon by an arachnid.

Phrynus longipes exhibits defense mechanisms for their territory. These behaviors are often highly conserved and can often follow unique patterns of repeated behaviors. Further, competition among Phrynus longipes is a common occurrence.

While not immediately resorting to violence, they often initiate disputes with a series of pedipalp movements. If the dispute is not resolved then physical violence ensues. Some fights end with the two opponents walking away unscathed while others result in the loser turning into the winner's supper.[4]

The length of a sexual interaction between Phrynus longipes varies - it can be as short as one hour but as long as eight hours. They mate via indirect sperm transfer utilizing a scelrotizied spermatophore.[4] Pre-mating behavior is highly conserved and oftentimes performed by the male as he tries to court the female. These behaviors include jerking motions and pedipalp movements.[4] Following these interactions, the spermatophore will be deposited into the female - ultimately resulting in fertilization and the development of an egg sac.

Polgyny is the most common mating pattern amongst Phrynus longipes as the males are free to mate with many females. The females, due to their caring for the egg sac, are prohibited from mating freely with multiple males. In the cases where polygyny does not occur, Phrynus longipes has been observed to take part in mate-multiply behavior.[4] This means that one male will mate multiple times with the same female in order to ensure full paternal-ship of every clutch. This type of monogamous mating better ensures that the male will have plentiful offspring of his own.

As previously mentioned, they are quite protective of their territory and will oftentimes fight to the death to protect it. The agonistic interactions between Phrynus longipes are a result of these territorial disputes.[1] Although these fights are the majority of social interactions, Phrynus Longipes ends this battle with the winner cannibalizing the loser. This is different from parental cannibalism that can be seen in other species of spiders. Oftentimes the loser of the battle is consumed by the winner. The social behavior of Phrynus longipes is almost never prosocial and almost always involves conflict.

Phrynus longipes tend to be the dominant predator in their ecosystem. Most prevalent in certain cave systems, they are at the top of the food chain. This means that they are often protected from outside predation. Further, in the caves, Phrynus longipes have the ability to quickly and discreetly hide in nooks and crannies if they are to encounter a predator.[6]

The greatest threat to Phrynus longipes are actually members of the same species. In territorial battles, they have been shown to kill and eat each other. If Phrynus longipes leave the cave system, they face predation from certain avian species and other small vertebrates. The long upper limbs of Phrynus longipes, while serving as all important sensors, make them easily detectable to a hungry predator.

While the size of Phrynus longipes might be intimidating, they produce no venom at all. Further, they are not often kept as pets due to their massive size and preference for a tropical climate.

If deforestation continues at a rapid pace, they will eventually lose a large part of their habitat. Further, human traffic and pollution can endanger the ecosystem and well being of the caves they live in. Despite the threats to their environment, they are abundant in numbers and are not in any need of conservation efforts.

As aforementioned, the diet of Phrynus Longipes consists primarily of invertebrates. In other words, these spiders help to keep the level and numbers of invertebrates in check. As they are larger spiders, they tend to eat more than the average arthropod. While invertebrates such as worms and snails are not considered to be endangered by any means, an over-abundance of Phrynus Longipes certainly threatens the livelihood of such species. While this is not an immediate issue, an abundance of these spiders might cause a shift in the ecosystems of their habitats.

It has been found that the male Phrynus longipes will have longer pedipalps – the first pair of legs that is used as a sensory tool.[6] This can serve to provide the males with advantages for hunting at night. The longer pedipalps provide advantages for sensing, locating, and chasing prey throughout the night. There are no hypothesized evolutionary advantages for smaller pedipalps.