Photos

Midway through the second set of the Phnom Chnork caves we came across this monster. With a body nearly 1 inch (2.5cm) long, I didn't want to get too close to this "spider". It looked weird in the cave, but even more weird when I looked at the photo on my PC. Having no idea what it was I sent the photo off to the States to see if a university there could tell me what it was. Dr. William Elliott of the Missouri Department of Conservation was able to identify it for me as follows:

"That is not a true spider, but another kind of arachnid, an amblypygid, or scorpion-spider, or tailless whip-scorpion, Order Amblypygida.

They are similar to scorpions in having book lungs and carrying their young on the back. They have no sting or venom, but the pedipalps are spiny for grabbing and impaling their prey. In caves, they eat cave crickets and other larger insects. They can actually be handled, but the pedipalps and scissors-like chelicerae (jaws) can bite a bit. The long second pair of legs are used like antennae, but they are just legs.

They are very skittish and hard to catch. The first time I saw one in a tropical cave it scared the hell out of me!"

If they scare an entomologist, you can imagine how I felt ... especially with a slight tough of arachniphobia!! Of course I was disappointed it was already a known species as I was hoping to hear that a research expedition was being launch immediately to find and study the "creature".