Hey Wil -- What is this big guy we found in our hallway tonight?
Oh My Gosh!
by michoacan, Monday, February 14, 2011, 21:55 (4197 days ago) @ JeffMN
I saw one of those on television the other night; an M&M commercial.
Man and woman sittin on couch. Woman spots spider, shrieks, clutches at her boyfriend. He laughs, gets up, walks to the spider and sticks his finger down on top of the spider to show her how harmless it is. The next thing you see is the guy being thrown all over the room with his finger still grasped by the spider. By then I was laughing so hard I missed the (unneeded) punch line; maybe something about eating the green M&M's.

Madre de alacrán
by ZihuaRob
, Zihuatanejo, México, Monday, February 14, 2011, 22:21 (4197 days ago) @ JeffMN
I see you've discovered our cherished madre de alacrán.
Please do not kill them. They are considered good luck to have in your home (especially your closet) because they eat alacranes. Respect their space and they'll respect yours and, as a bonus, they'll keep you a little bit safer.
Wil: Spider I.D.
by Belem Cabrera, Monday, February 14, 2011, 22:45 (4197 days ago) @ JeffMN
Hola Jeff!
That is a beautiful harmless "Amblypygi"
Amblypygi is an order of invertebrate animals belonging to the class Arachnida, in the subphylum Chelicerata of the phylum Arthropoda. They form a separate order of arachnids alongside the spiders, scorpions and others.
Amblypygids are also known as whip spiders and tailless whip scorpions (not to be confused with whip scorpions that belong to the Arachnid order Thelyphonida). The name "amblypygid" means "blunt rump", a reference to a lack of the telson ("tail") carried by related species. They are totally harmless to humans.
As of 2003[update], 5 families, 17 genera and around 155 species have been discovered.[1] They are found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Some species are subterranean; many are nocturnal. During the day, they may hide under logs, bark, stones, or leaves. They prefer a humid environment.
Amblypygids have no silk glands or venomous fangs.

Wil: Spider I.D.
by JeffMN
, Minneapolis MN USA, Monday, February 14, 2011, 23:01 (4197 days ago) @ Belem Cabrera
Never dawned on me to kill it. I feel it's a privilege to see such things. I just want my damn pen back!
I notice that the third leg back on each side is about twice as long as the rest and quite thin. Any special purpose for those longer legs?
If they like alacranes, how do they handle them without fangs?

Wil: Spider I.D.
by Hunter-MX
, Troncones, Gro. Mexico, Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 08:21 (4196 days ago) @ JeffMN
First thanks to my lovely wife for the ID as I was asleep. Of course she is right as well as Rob.
They have a pretty serious set of pincer type thing in the front for procuring food. The extra long long "whips" are sensory organs that can feel even the slightest breeze or vibration.
That is a good size one but I have seen bigger here. Think close to a dinne plate when spread out.

Thanks!
by JeffMN
, Minneapolis MN USA, Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 11:56 (4196 days ago) @ Hunter-MX
Thanks, Wil and Belem -- Fascinating. Must say, though, I might feel different about her if we'd found her on the wall over our bed!
Wil: Spider I.D.
by islandgirl , Cowichan Valley, Monday, February 14, 2011, 22:49 (4197 days ago) @ JeffMN
There used to be one like that who lived in the storage room at the Bamboo House, up the hill at the end of la Ropa. She was called Carlotta and all the guests wrote about her in the house journal. Quite beautiful, really. Where I come from all spiders are considered grandmothers and (should be) respected as such.

Wil: Spider I.D.
by JeffMN
, Minneapolis MN USA, Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 11:53 (4196 days ago) @ islandgirl
Thanks, Island Girl! I guess we'll have to name our madre de alacrán! ¿Que tal "Island Girl?"
Wil: Spider I.D.
by islandgirl , Cowichan Valley, Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 21:53 (4196 days ago) @ JeffMN
Thank you! I'd be honoured. Better make it in Spanish, 'tho, like Carlotta for Charlotte. Besides, Isla Chica just sounds way cooler!!!!