The Plushy, Squishy Velvet Worm
The Velvet Worm (Onychophora) looks like a plush toy. It looks squishy. And it’s darn cute. Our night would’ve been a dull walk had it not been for the sighting of this beautiful multi-legged worm. When we approached, it ejaculated squirted at us. What? I’ve known the velvet worm to squirt slime at it’s prey but this was the first time seeing it, and it has already given us a special welcome gift!
The Velvet Worm is armed with a pair of slime-guns, which are actually their front limbs. The slime squirts off the guns as gooey streams of liquid, normally directed at prey to ensnare them. Quite magically, this biological glue is supposed to harden into a gel almost immediately upon contact with the prey. Apparently, it would eat back the slime after the squirt. No wastage there! Such tactics reminds me of… the Spitting Spider (Scytodiidae) which also spits venom at their prey.
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
Record shot of the Velvet Worm, possibly Eoperipatus sumatranus which has been recorded in Singapore. It is also listed in the Singapore Red Data Book as endangered. Notice the stream of goo streaking down from the head, that was remnants of the slime!
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
Close up on the Velvet Worm’s head. Utter cuteness!
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
The squishy looking and seemlingly jointless legs resembles the limbs of a plush toy!
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
Front view of the Velvet Worm. Say hallooo!
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
Mr Squishy was feeling agitated, so we let it climb onto the stick where it felt more comfortable and stayed still.
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
Oh those legs…
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
Close up of the underside of the Velvet Worm
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
Before we placed it back on the tree trunk, it finally decided to move yooo.
Velvet Worm (Eoperipatus sumatranus?)
This is out of focus, but just had a comical effect
Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae)
Tiny little Huntsman Spider from the leaf litter
Four-Lined Tree Frogs (Polypedates leucomystax)
Ben found this pair of mating Four-Lined Tree Frogs in the middle of the path.
Four-Lined Tree Frogs (Polypedates leucomystax)
I struggled to take pictures of it, as my extension tube decided to lose connection at the last minute. : struggled to take pictures of it, as my extension tube decided to lose connection at the last minute. 🙁
Four-Lined Tree Frogs (Polypedates leucomystax)
We did make an interesting discovery though. The eyes of the Four-Lined Tree Frogs would fluoresce under ultraviolet light!! (Thanks to Melvyn again for shining UV at everything we saw) I didn’t get to take pictures of that as the horny duo jumped off soon after, but it was really creepy. Definitely in my to-do list!
Orb Web Spider (Araneidae)
Found a number of these Orb Web Spiders
Orb Web Spider (Araneidae)
View of the eyes of the Orb Web Spider
Orb Web Spider (Araneidae)
Dorsal view, actually the first angle for identification
Nursery Web Spider (Pisauridae)
Nursery Web Spider , quite a small one
Nursery Web Spider (Pisauridae)
Check out it’s eye arrangement!
Archduke larva (Lexias pardalis dirteana)
Found an Archduke larva . I often called such cats the Christmas Caterpillar.
Skull-Faced Caterpillar
Found another Skull-Faced Caterpillar, struggling to climb up the branch.
Orb Web Spider (Gea sp.)
Another Orb Web Spider , a lovely male!
Orb Web Spider (Gea sp.)
The Orb Web Spider tried to balloon away.
Ground Spider (Zodariidae)
Another Ground Spider . Apparently the Zodariids here like to rest on tree trunks.
Katydid (Tettigoniidae)
Katydid with exceptional appendages on it’s legs.
Jumping Bristletail (Machilidae)
Jumping Bristletail , often ignored but spectacular up close
Jumping Bristletail (Machilidae)
Check out the eyes!
Sac Spider (Clubionidae)
A common but small Sac Spider
Sac Spider (Clubionidae)
This Sac Spider has 6 eyes in the bottom row.
Jumping Spider (Anarrhotus sp.)
Found an interestingly large Jumping Spider
Jumping Spider (Anarrhotus sp.)
The lateral eyes were actually quite big for a salticid!
Jumping Spider (Anarrhotus sp.)
And… here’s the classic face shot!
Jumping Spider (Anarrhotus sp.)
Hair-raising view
Jumping Spider (Anarrhotus sp.)
An obvious male. Pity that I did not take sharper pictures of the palps, which had some unique stripes on them.
Here’s a video from Youtube which shows the craziest squirt from a velvet worm!
As mentioned at the start of the post, the night was rather dull. BUT.. what’s dull to me might be of interest to some of you so here they are!
The first part of this trip has been documented in the earlier post on the Ant-Snatching Assassin Bug. Do check that out too!
The complete album can be viewed here.
