How Are Spiders Measured?
WouterThe spider is one of the largest groups of arachnids. Their body consists of two main sections: the prosoma and the abdomen. The abdomen contains the digestive tract and the book lungs. The prosoma is covered by a carapace and is also where the brain is located.
The spider’s exoskeleton supports the muscles and skeleton. The exoskeleton is subject to both internal and external loads. In addition, the spider’s central nervous system detects these loads.
The exoskeleton is also embedded with sensors that transmit the load to the central nervous system. These sensors are of fundamental importance to the design and control of spider motion.
The sensitivity of strain detectors is related to joint stiffness. Several studies have investigated mechanical sensitivity in spiders. However, there is a lack of detailed documentation of three-dimensional kinematics.
To quantify the strain distribution in the spider tibia, a foil strain gauge was used. The strain measured by this instrument was within physical limits.
The amplitude of the strain fluctuation was 10 to 100 ue. This value was found to be lower than in vertebrates and crabs.
Spiders have eight eyes. The lateral anterior eyes are important for measuring distance. They also have a compass to determine the direction of travel.
Spiders can measure distance using polarized light, which provides a compass-like effect. They also use their posterior lateral eyes for navigation. The lateral compass helps them to travel to their burrows.
A few species of freely walking spiders have recorded synchronous kinematics. These recordings are available for only a few species.
