Image of Brown Recluse

Description:

Under a low magnification of only 27x, twice that of PHIL 10074, this scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicted the dorsal cephalothorax, i.e., a combination of its head and thoracic regions, of a venomous brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa found inhabiting a Kentucky farm. Most spiders possess eight eyes (4 pairs), however, as is evidenced in this image, recluse spiders only possess six. L. reclusa is sometimes referred to as the violin or fiddle spider, for on its cephalothorax one will see what appears to be coloration in the shape of these stringed instruments, which is quite evident in the color photograph PHIL 1125, depicting a live specimen. You’ll also note this spider’s four pairs of jointed legs, which places it in the Phylum, Arthropoda, and the Class, Arachnida. Also see PHIL 2224, and 6268 for additional brown recluse images.
Created: 2007