The High-Speed Strikes Of Trap-Jaw Spiders Are Power Amplified

Plants and Animals





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The face of a male Chilarchaea quellon trap-jaw spider. The chelicerae in front have fangs at the tip. Hannah Wood/Smithsonian

Using high-speed videos, researchers have captured trap-jaw spiders striking at their prey. Not only does this occur at lightning speed, it’s also power amplified, according to findings published in Current Biology this week.