Spiders as Food

Originally posted by greenterrorrr
arachnids don't fall under insects?

Insects are phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, whereas spiders are also arthopods, but they belong to the class Arachnida along with ticks, mites, scorpions, etc.

As for falling into the "terrestrial insects" category, I didn't read the link so I really can't say until I do :)

I was just pointing out that everyone was calling them insects.

As far as calling everything bugs, not even all insects are "bugs." Insects in the order Hemiptera (sensu latu) are known as the "true bugs." That includes stink bugs, water striders, giant water bugs, assassin bugs, and bed bugs to name a few.

[/nerd]
 
Originally posted by Captain Hook
I'm not sure that if they were doing a stomach analysis you would be able to differentiate between insects and arachnids.

Of course you could! :)
 
Wouldn't it just be all mushed up meat?

Also I just fed my rainbows a spider (different fish) and there was a milky white substance from it when the fish bit it. Any idea what this is? Would it be harmful?
 
Originally posted by Captain Hook
Wouldn't it just be all mushed up meat?

Also I just fed my rainbows a spider (different fish) and there was a milky white substance from it when the fish bit it. Any idea what this is? Would it be harmful?

Well, if it was crushed up meat how would they distinguish between aquatic and terrestrial insects? I think, though I'm not certain, that various parts of the arthropod exoskeleton that are completely indigestible. Chief among these would be the mandibles, which are primarily composed of chitin.

Along those lines, aquatic and terrestrial insects would have certain distinguishable morphologies readily identifyable from undigested parts. Similarly, spider chelicerae would come to mind as being something completley absent in insects... and a good indicator of ingestion.

woot
 
^_^ keke i don't know... hemolymph?
 
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