Can Spiders Have 6 Legs?
WouterA spider’s legs are usually eight in number, but sometimes they may have a sixth leg. This can make them easier to catch prey and spin webs. Those with more legs are faster and more stable. But some species of spiders can survive without a leg. They can regrow a leg if they need to, though.
Some hexapods, like the wolf spider, are born with more than six legs. However, they cannot afford to have any more limbs. Instead they develop offspring with extra legs. As the hexapod grows it becomes a house spider.
Other hexapods may have a long front leg for catching prey, a shorter back leg for moving around, and a pair of palps for manipulating their prey. Palps are also used for sensory purposes, like detecting chemicals in the air.
When they first hatch, spider babies have eight legs. But after molting they can lose one or two legs.
Wolf spiders have a leg span of up to 13 centimeters. These spiders are excellent at surviving rough conditions. In fact, they often win fights against their common enemies.
House spiders, on the other hand, can have 6 legs. Usually, they only lose a leg during a fight.
The Giant Huntsman spider is a species of hexapod found in Australia and North America. It’s brown and long, with spiny legs. It’s a pest in some parts of the world, but is relatively harmless in its native habitat.
