How Many Legs Does A Spider Have? - Kapturepest

You’ve Heard Spiders Have 10 Legs?

There has been some information floating around questioning the number of legs spiders have at 10. So where did this come from? Well, they do have some extra parts that could be misidentified as legs, but let’s set that record straight.

Let’s ask a different question. What “types” of legs does a spider have? Spiders do have 8 legs that they use to crawl around on, but they also have a set of “hands” that they use. These are referred to as pedipalps, or palps for short. The palps can be mistaken for legs because they are so close to the first set of legs a spider has and they are jointed. Spiders use the palps to help shape their webs, hold on to prey, and mainly for anything sensory related. Another way palps are used is by male spiders as they use this appendage to transfer sperm to the female during the mating process.

So, if you come across a spider and get close enough to examine the number of legs it has, don’t worry that you have a radioactive one on your hands if you count 10. These are just its palps.

What is With All of Those Legs?

Why do spiders have so many legs? Is it for mobility? Is it for swiftness? Is it to scale tall buildings in the blink of an eye?

Well, spiders use their limbs for a variety of things, actually. They use them obviously to get around, but they need to get away from other insects or animals that might be trying to attack them as well. So, the legs a spider has aren’t just about getting around your house like you may think. It may be more about not being prey to bigger spiders or other attackers.

The 8 legs spiders do have are used to attack and pin down their prey. At the very tip of the leg, there are 2 or 3 claws that aid in this, and once they have them pinned down, they release their venom into their body from their fangs.

Ever wondered what would happen if a spider were to lose some of its legs? Can they still get around the same? Yes, and they can even regenerate their legs during. But, with a cost. Spiders can regenerate their legs, but the regenerated ones aren’t as thick or long. Things like web-making, the ability to forage, and the growth and development time of the spider will also be impacted.

Overall, even with losing a leg or two, nothing really seems to keep a spider down for too long.

What other insect-like creatures have eight legs?

Strangely enough, spiders aren’t the only ones crawling around with 8 legs. Here are some creatures we mistake for insects that have the same number of legs as spiders have.