Solifugid (aka sun spider/camel spider/wind scorpion) under both flash and UV light

[tiwane]

My friend Damon loves seeing what fluoresces under UV light so he pointed his UV flashlight on this beautiful gravid solifugid. Really cool, its innards fluoresce a different color than its exoskeleton. What we're likely seeing is likely the diverticula of its digestive system being pushed against its exoskeleton by eggs (see this BugGuide conversation). Santa Clara County, California.

First photo under standard diffused flash, second with UV light only. Nikon Z6, Nikkor Z 105mm f/2.8 S.

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(1/200, f/11, ISO 100)

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(1/125, f/6.3, 12,800 ISO)

 

[KCPhoto]

EEEWWWWWWWW.....Really neat though, thank you for sharing your images and interesting info.

 

[Andrew Lamberson]

Wow...that is really interesting! Great shots.

 

[bleirer]

That is cool! So not a UV sensor, just fluorescing within the visible spectrum? I don't get how it is its' innards though.

 

[jmchaffie]

What a great post! And that's an mighty interesting looking critter you've got there! I've purchased a UV flashlight with a barrier filter and have attempted a few photos of millipedes and lichen - both of which fluoresce under UV illumination. Thanks for the photos!

 

[Icarus]

OMG, very cool!

 

[Woody Meristem]

Great photos of a phenomenon few people know exists.

 

[tiwane]

So not a UV sensor, just fluorescing within the visible spectrum? I

Yeah, just using the UV flashlight as the only light source.

I don't get how it is its' innards though.

It's so full of eggs that its abdomen is distended, making it more translucent (I think). So the UV light is passing through the exoskeleton and lighting the diverticula of its digestive system.

I've purchased a UV flashlight with a barrier filter and have attempted a few photos of millipedes and lichen - both of which fluoresce under UV illumination.

Yup, millipedes are rad, and lichen will fluoresce in a few different colors. depending on the species.