Adhesive at the feet
2006/10/02 Rementeria Argote, Nagore - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute find that tarantulas secrete adhesive silk on the feet. The discovery was by chance: While researching the locomotion of the zebra tarantula of Costa Rica (Aphonopelma seemanni), they forgot to turn off the camera for a break, they realized that when returning to work the tarantula left some traces and when looking at the camera they saw that the tarantica had spilled on the silk of the feet.
Apparently, this silk detached from the feet is used as adhesive by the tarantica to avoid, among other things, sliding when climbing the wall.
Well, now the researchers want to know in evolution the place of the silk of the foot and, for example, if the abdominal gland with which the fabric is manufactured evolved by the glands of the feet, of which they segregate the same silk.
Photo: S. Niederegger and S. Gorb, Max Planck Society.
