Spiders of the World

They spin their web to trap quarry, but they haven't yet snared the affections of most humans. Currently, over 30,000 species of spider have been recognized, and they occupy nearly every terrestrial habitat, from the highest mountain peaks to the depths of the largest cave. From damp marsh to desert, they can find something to dine on. Some can even dive into water! These superb original photographs, clear diagrams, and informative text cover classification of all the thousands of different arachnid types. Special attention focuses on defense mechanisms, mimicry and camouflage, courtship and mating rituals, prey capture and feeding behavior. Drawings show the way they grasp thread, and their anatomical structure. The variety of spiders and their relatives seen here will astound you. A fuzzy brown and white jumping (or zebra) spider, a big African giant red velvet mite, and an orange and yellow (with black dots) female orb web spider make a colorful, diverse mix.Preston-Mafham, Rod is the author of 'Spiders of the World' with ISBN 9780871969965 and ISBN 0871969963.