Image of Brown Recluse

Description:

Under a magnification of 44x, this scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicted the hairy surface of a number of legs of a venomous brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, found inhabiting a Kentucky farm. The jointed nature of the spider’s legs places it in the Phylum, Arthropoda, i.e., Arthro = jointed, and poda = legs, and the fact that this creature has 8 legs places it in the Class, Arachnida. The most proximal leg segment, i.e., nearest to the cephalothorax, is known as the coxa, followed by a trochanter, then a femur, patella. tibia, metatarsus, a tarsus, and finally the claws. Depicted in this particular view are the proximal segments of the spider’s first and second right legs. In the lower right you can see the origin of the spider’s right fang (far right), and its right pedipalp. The hairs are known as setae, and are sensorial in nature.
Created: 2007