The Animal Kingdom Web Links Science Main Index Spiders have 8 appendages. The first pair are used for holding the prey and feeding. The second pair may also be used for holding and killing their prey. The others are used as legs for walking. Most spiders also have 8 eyes.
Spiders have fangs that are used to inject poison to paralyze or kill their prey.
Many spiders can produce silk threads to spin webs for catching prey, and for building cocoons for their eggs. Scorpions are the largest arachnids, some reaching over 8 inches in length. They have 6 to 12 appendages. They also have a sharp stinger at the end of their tail which is used to paralyze or kill insects and small animals. Mites and ticks are small arachnids that are parasites living on the blood and tissue fluid of other animals.