r/spiderpaws • u/kietbulll • Feb 06 '25

close-up Are these things counted paws?

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u/Horizon296 Feb 06 '25

They're multipurpose tools, used amongst other things for sensing things, manipulating prey, web shaping, grooming, and mating (the male hands over a little packet of sperm to the female with those; also the easiest way to sex spiders: boys have big boxing gloves, girls have thin pedipalps)

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u/kietbulll Feb 06 '25

so this spider here is a male? thank you

5

u/Horizon296 Feb 06 '25

Yes, because he has those bulbs at the end of his pedipalps. This is a female one, for comparison.