I took this with my cell phone. I found this little critter at my work, i put it in a cup and took it outside, found a isolated bush and let it free.
posted by Steve on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 - link to this photo
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2 Comments

Tue, August 12, 2008 - 6:54 PM
I think that is a critter we call Sun Spiders here in AZ...
Fri, August 15, 2008 - 12:13 AM
Did this creature have any sort of web? It's hard to identify it without being able to see it's markings.

Judging from what I can see of the picture, and a sense of reason, It's possible that this is the Camel (or) Sun Spider, (Solifugae). This Arachnid has had enough media attention that I suspect you would have recognized it as the "Camel Spider"

The right side of the body appears to have 5 legs visible, which would indicate it is more likely Solifugae than a true spider. Solifugae usually has a more stout set of rear legs than your picture shows, but the front palps are certainly longer and stouter than a spiders palps would be.

If it is Solifugae, it is a closer relative of the whip tail scorpion than a spider. If you live in the arid Southwest it is very possible that this is your critter, as Amazon has pointed out. Look up the scientific name for it and see if this is what you have found.

We have only one species of Solifugae in Florida, (Ammotrechella stimpsoni), I have no idea if it even has a common name other than "Camel Spider" but I have never seen one here.

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