Do Spiders Have Teeth?
WouterSpiders don’t have teeth, but they do have something else that is very similar to teeth – fangs. They use these to kill and eat prey. Some spiders even inject digestive enzymes into their prey. In fact, some spiders can actually suck the liquefied prey into their stomach.
Spiders’ fangs are hollow and have a small hole in the tip. The curved shape of these fangs makes it easy to catch and hold prey.
However, if the spider is unable to kill its target, the fangs can also disable its prey. Similarly, the fangs can suffocate it. Moreover, some spiders can grow a new fang in place of the old one. This feature is useful when the spider needs to defend itself against predators.
Spiders’ fangs are formed of chitin, a carbohydrate molecule found in many crustaceans and insects. These fangs are composed of tough material, which allows them to be powerful and effective. Besides, the conical shape of these fangs gives them the right stiffness per unit volume.
As mentioned above, chelicerae are another key component of the spider’s mouth. Chelicerae are jointed jaws that are attached to venom glands. Although some spiders have serrated “teeth” on their chelicerae, they are not functional like teeth.
Some of the bigger species of spiders use their chelicerae to grind and shred prey. Smaller spiders usually leave the prey’s exoskeleton intact.
Another important feature of a spider’s mouth is the spinnerets, which are silk-producing glands. The female spider may carry these glands around with her as she lays eggs in a silken sac. When the eggs are ready, they start developing straight away.
