Amblypygid
Guides
Phrynus marginemaculatus
spotted tailless whip scorpion, Florida tailless whipscorpion
Phrynus marginemaculatus is an amblypygid arachnid native to southern Florida, the Bahamas, Cuba, and Hispaniola. It is the only amblypygid species in the US east of the Mississippi River and the most commonly studied whip spider species. This nocturnal predator possesses extraordinarily elongated first pair of legs adapted as sensory organs for detecting prey, mates, and environmental features in darkness. The species exhibits complex navigational abilities including multisensory configural learning for shelter recognition, and has evolved a plastron enabling underwater breathing for up to 24 hours.