Biology, Behavior, and Ecology

The biology, behavior, and ecology of solifuges remain relatively poorly studied, despite the extensive work by Punzo over the past decade and prior work by Muma and others. Punzo (1993, 1994a-d, 1995a, b, 1997, 1998 a-g) and Muma (1966a-e, 1967, 1974a,b, 1979, 1980a,b) have contributed a wealth of information on four species of North American Eremobatidae and general observations on several other eremobatids plus a few ammotrechids (Muma and Muma 1988). Heymons (1802), Cloudsley-Thompson (1961a,b), and Junqua (1966) provided detailed descriptions of the biology of three different species of Galeodidae and Wharton (1987) provided an excellent overview of the biology of Metasolpuga picta (Kraepelin 1899), a diurnal member of the family Solpugidae from Namibia. Detailed observations of specific behaviors such as foraging and reproduction of a few additional species have been published by several workers (notably Turner 1916, Lawrence 1947, 1949, Amitai et al. 1962, Lamoral 1975, Gore and Cushing 1980, Dean and Milton 1991), but again the emphasis has been on members of the Eremobatidae, Galeodidae, and to a much lesser extent the Ammotrechidae and Solpugidae. The statement by Wharton (1987) that little is known about the other families of solifuges remains true. Biological information has been summarized by Muma (1967), Cloudsley-Thompson (1967, 1977), and Punzo (1998g).

Solifugids are one of the dominant predatory arthropods in arid ecosystems and extreme arid ecosystems where there is little vegetation (e.g., rocky habitats and dune systems), and also serve as important prey for such vertebrates as exist in these habitats (Punzo 1998). Schmoller (1970) and Cloudsley-Thompson (1962, 1970) considered solifugids indicator species for desert environments. Living in these arid environments, solifugids are subjected to very high daytime temperatures, low nighttime temperatures and low relative humidity. Nevertheless, they apparently have high metabolic rates and are, probably because of their high metabolic rate, voracious predators. All aspects of their interesting physiology in these extreme ecosystems remain to be explored.

The links on the left of this page further explore different aspects of the biology, behavior, and ecology of solifuges.

Literature Cited:

Amitai, P., Levy, and A. Shulov. 1962. Observations on mating in a solifugid Galeodes sulfuripes Roewer. Bulletin of the Research Council of Israel, Section B, Zoology 11: 156-159.
Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L. 1961a. Observations on the natural history of the 'camel-spider', Galeodes arabs C. L. Koch (Solifugae: Galeodidae) in the Sudan. Entomologists Monthly Magazine, 97: 145-152.
Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L. 1961b. Some aspects of the physiology and behavior of Galeodes arabs. Entomologia experimentalis et applicata, 4: 257-263.
Cloudsley-Thompson, J.L. 1962. Lethal temperatures of some desert arthropods and the mechanism of heat death. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 5: 270-280.
Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L. 1967. Reproduction in Solifugae. Turtox News, 45: 212-215.
Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L. 1977. Adaptational biology of Solifugae (Solpugida). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 4 (2): 61-67.
Dean, W. R. J., and Milton, S. J. 1991. Prey capture by Solpuga chelicornis Lichenstein (Solifugae: Solpugidae). Journal of the Entomolgical Society of South Africa, 54 (2): 266, 267.
Gore, J. A., and Cushing, B. C. 1980. Observations on temporary foraging areas of the sun spider Ammotrechula peninsulana (Banks) (Arachnida: Solpugida). The Southwestern Naturalist, 25 (1): 95-102.
Heymons, R. 1902. Biologische Beobachtungen an asiatischen Solifugen, nebst Beiträgen zur Systematik derselben. Abhandlungen der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschafen zu Berlin, 1902: Anhang 1 [pages?]. Translated title: Biological observations on Asian solifuges, together with contributions to the systemics of the same.
Junqua, C. 1966. Recherches biologiques et histophysiologiques sur un solifuge saharien Othoes saharae Panouse. Mémoires du Musée d'Histoire Naturelle, (NS), série A, zoologie, 43: 1-124. Translated title: Biological and histophysiological research on the Saharan solifuge Othoes saharae Panouse.
Lamoral, B.H. 1975. The structure and possible function of the flagellum in four species of male solifuges of the family Solpugidae. Pp. 136-141 in 'Proceedings of the 6th International Arachnological Congress.' (Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam: Amsterdam.)
Lawrence, R.F. 1947. Some observations on the eggs and newly hatched embryos of Solpuga hostilis White (Arachnida). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 117: 429-434.
Lawrence, R. F. 194a. Observations on the habits of a female solifuge, Solpuga caffra Pocock. Annals of the Transvaal Museum, 21 (2): 197-200.
Muma, M. H. 1966a. Burrowing habits of North American Solpugida (Arachnida). Psyche 73 (4): 251-260.
Muma, M. H. 1966b. Feeding behavior of North American Solpugida (Arachnida). The Florida Entomologist, 49: 199-216.
Muma, M. H. 1966c. Egg deposition and incubation for Eremobates durangonus with notes on the eggs of other species of Eremobatidae (Arachnida: Solpugida). The Florida Entomologist, 49: 23-32
Muma, M. H. 1966d. The life cycle of Eremobates durangonus (Arachnida: Solpugida). The Florida Entomologist, 49: 233-242.
Muma, M. H. 1966e. Mating behavior in the solpugid genus Eremobates Banks. Animal Behavior, 14: 346-350.
Muma, M. H. 1967. Basic behavior of North American Solpugida. The Florida Entomologist, 50: 115-123.
Muma, M. H. 1974a. Maturity and reproductive isolation of common solpugids in the North American deserts. Journal of Arachnology, 2: 5-10.
Muma, M. H. 1974b. An annotated list of solpugids of New Mexico. New Mexico Academy of Sciences Bulletin, 15(2): 13-16.
Muma, M. H. 1979. Arid-grassland solpugid population variations in southwestern New Mexico. The Florida Entomologist, 62 (4): 320-328.
Muma, M. H. 1980a. Comparison of three methods for estimating solpugid (Arachnida) populations. Journal of Arachnology, 8: 267-270.
Muma, M. H. 1980b. Solpugid (Arachnida) populations in a creosotebush vs. a mixed plant association. The Southwestern Naturalist, 25 (2): 129-136.
Muma, M. H., and Muma, K. E. 1988. The arachnid order Solpugida in the United States (Supplement 2, a biological review), pp. 1-35 and 2 plates. Published for the authors by Southwest Offset, Silver City, New Mexico.
Punzo, F. 1993. Diet and feeding behavior in the solpugid, Eremobates palpisetulosus (Solpugida: Eremobatidae). Psyche, 100: 151-162.
Punzo, F. 1994a. Trophic and temporal niche interactions in sympatric populations of Eremobates palpisetulosus Ficher and Eremobates mormonus (Roewer) (Solpugida: Eremobatidae). Psyche, 101: 187-194.
Punzo, F. 1994b. An analysis of feeding and optimal Hunting Behavior in the solpugid, Eremobates mormonus (Roewer) (Solpugida, Eremobatidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 9: 293-298.
Punzo, F. 1994c. Intraspecific variation in response to temperature and moisture in Eremobates palpisetulosus Fichter (Solpugida, Eremobatidae) along an altitudinal gradient. Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 9: 256-262.
Punzo, F. 1994d. Changes in brain amine concentrations associated with postembryonic development in the solpugid, Eremobates palpisetulosus Fichter (Solpugida: Eremobatidae). Journal of Arachnology, 22: 1-4.
Punzo, F. 1995a. Feeding and prey preparation in the solpugid, Eremorhax mangnus Hancock (Solpugida, Eremobatidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 71: 13-17.
Punzo, F. 1995b. Interspecific variation in life history traits between sympatric populations of Eremobates mormonus (Roewer) (Solpugida, Eremobatidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 10: 109-113.
Punzo, F. 1997. Dispersion, temporal patterns of activity, and the phenology of feeding and mating in Eremobates palpisetulosus Fichter (Solifugae, Eremobatidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 10: 303-307.
Punzo, F. 1998a. Natural history and life cycle of the solifuge Eremobates marathoni Muma & Brookhart (Solifugae, Eremobatidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 11: 111-118
Punzo, F. 1998b. The effects of reproductive status on sprint speed in the solifuge, Eremobates marathoni (Solifugae, Eremobatidae). Journal of Arachnology 26(1): 113-116.
Punzo, F. 1998c. The effects of maternal nest guarding behaviour by Eremobates marathoni Muma & Brookhart on the survivorship of offspring (Solifugae, Eremobatidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 11: 54-56.
Punzo, F. 1998d. Intraspecific male aggression in Arenotherus joshuaensis Brookhart and Muma, and Eremobates marathoni Muma (Solifugae, Eremobatidae). Southwestern Naturalist 43(3): 291-295.
Punzo, F. 1998e. The effects of locomotor movements and feeding on heart activity in the solifuge Eremobates marathoni Muma & Brookhart (Solifugae, Eremobatidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 11: 69-71.
Punzo, F. 1998f. 'The biology of camel-spiders (Arachnida, Solifugae)'. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Boston.)
Punzo, F. 1998g. Selective ingestion by Eremobates marathoni Muma (Arachnida, Solifugae: Eremobatidae). Southwestern Naturalist 43(3): 296-299.
Schmoller, R.R. 1970. Terrestrial desert arthropods: fauna and ecology. Biologist 52: 77-98.
Turner, C. H. 1916. Notes on the feeding behavior and oviposition of a captive American false spider (Eremobates formicaria Koch). Journal of Animal Behavior, 6: 160-168.
Wharton, R. A. 1987. Biology of the diurnal Metasolpuga picta (Kraepelin) (Solifugae, Solpugidae) compared with that of nocturnal species. Journal of Arachnology, 14 (3): 363-383.