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Jan 16, 2022 · You've probably heard this playground legend: Daddy longlegs are the most venomous spiders in the world, but their fangs are too short to bite you. Is this really true? The short answer: no.
Pholcus phalangioides, commonly known as the cosmopolitan cellar spider, long-bodied cellar spider or one of various types called a daddy long-legs spider, is a spider of the family Pholcidae. This is the only spider species described by the Swiss entomologist Johann Kaspar Füssli, who first recorded it in 1775. [ 1]
- Daddy Longlegs Aren't Spiders. First, daddy longlegs make up the order Opiliones and aren't spiders. They are arachnids, but so too are mites, ticks, and scorpions.
- They Aren't Venomous. A common urban myth is that daddy longlegs have the most toxic venom of all spiders, but their fangs are too small to bite. Even if they were spiders, they don't have venom glands or fangs.
- They Can't See Very Well. Daddy longlegs have simple eyes mounted on eye turrets attached to their bodies. These eyes act as light sensors and do not appear to provide more than blurry images.
- They Are Ancient. The Opiliones first appeared a long time ago and have barely changed at all over millions of years. Fossils dating back 400 million years, before dinosaurs roamed the earth, look very similar to today's daddy longlegs.
The Pholcidae are a family of araneomorph spiders. The family contains more than 1,800 individual species of pholcids, including those commonly known as cellar spider, daddy long-legs spider, carpenter spider, daddy long-legger, vibrating spider, gyrating spider, long daddy, skull spider, and angel spider.
Aug 3, 2024 · Learn how daddy longlegs, also called harvestmen, are different from spiders in terms of anatomy, behavior, and venom. Find out why they are not insects and how they are related to scorpions and ticks.
Learn the difference between daddy long legs spiders and daddy long legs, and why the myth about their venom and fangs is false. Find out the scientific names, characteristics and habitats of these arachnids.
Jul 5, 2024 · Learn about daddy longlegs, also known as harvestmen, a group of arachnids with long and thin legs and compact bodies. Find out their physical characteristics, distribution, habitat, diet, reproduction, and more.
