Certain arachnid taxa, such as spiders, are equipped with spinnerets located on their abdomens, facilitating the production of silk. This silk serves multiple purposes, including aiding in prey capture, protecting eggs, and lining burrows. ​
More than meets the eye
Arachnids constitute a highly diverse assemblage of arthropods encompassing spiders, scorpions, whip spiders, whip scorpions, harvestmen, camel spiders, ticks, and vingaroons. This taxonomic group, characterized by simple eyes, two body segments, and four pairs of appendages, displays remarkable morphological and ecological variations.
Trashline Spider
Tick embedded in human skin
Ticks and mites are the largest taxonomic groups among arachnids, followed closely by spiders. The complexity of arachnid biology and the potential to discover new species highlight the need for ongoing research and exploration. In The Bahamas, arachnids are well represented and include spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, harvestmen, whip spiders, and camel spiders.
Spiders are probably the best-represented group and the most commonly seen of all arachnids in The Bahamas. There are currently 52,957 species of spiders recorded on earth and they occupy a diverse range of habitats, from the Artic to deserts. Spiders are one of the most important predators of insects and it is estimated that the global spider community consumes 400-800 million metric tons of insects annually! Recently, Wild Bahamas CEO discovered new species of spiders across The Bahamas representing at least four genera that have not been recorded in The Bahamas.
Octopus Spider, a newly discovered species for The Bahamas
Ticks and Mites
Spiders
Scorpions
Cuban Bark Scorpion
There are 130 species of scorpions that have been recorded in the West Indies, 55 being found on Cuba. There are four families of scorpions in the West Indies: Buthidae, Chactidae, Hormuridae, and Scorpionidae. Scorpions in The Bahamas are in the family Buthidae, subfamily Centruroidinae, and genus Centruroides (28 species in this genus recorded). Two species have been recorded in the archipelago: the Cuban Bark Scorpion (Centruroides guanensis) and the Lucayan Bark Scorpion (C. platnicki).
​Scorpions are found throughout the Lucayan Archipelago, especially on the islands of the Great Bahama Bank, San Salvador, Mayaguana and the Turks and Caicos.
Although the venom of native Bahamian scorpions is not life-threatening, some species in the Genus Centuroides can send you to the hospital and are potentially lethal.
Scorpions in The Bahamas can be found in urban environments, in rock and brush piles, and hiding under rocks.
posters
Spiders are an important but poorly studied group of animals in The Bahamas. Our spider fauna include species such as the endemic Bahamian Tarantula, Cellar Spider, various species of orb weavers, Crab spiders, Wolf Spiders, Widow Spiders, Spitting Spiders, and Jumping spiders. Spiders are some of the best forms of natural biological control, helping to remove problematic species from your homes, lessening the need for toxic bug sprays which is harmful for both your family and the environment.
COMING SOON!
COMING SOON!
COMING SOON!
photo gallery
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resources
Beron, P., 2018. Zoogeography of Arachnida (Vol. 94). Cham: Springer.
Coddington, J.A., Giribet, G.O.N.Z.A.L.O., Harvey, M.S., Prendini, L.O.R.E.N.Z.O. and Walter, D.E., 2004. Arachnida. Assembling the tree of life.
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Esposito, L.A. and Prendini, L., 2019. Island ancestors and new world biogeography: a case study from the scorpions (Buthidae: Centruroidinae). Scientific reports, 9(1), p.3500.
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Johnson, S., 2024. First Records of Spiders in the Genus Micrathena (Araneae: Araneidae) from The Bahamas. Caribbean Journal of Science, 54(1), pp.107-108.
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​Johnson, S., 2024. First Records of Spiders Representing at Least Three Newly Documented Genera for The Bahamas. Caribbean Journal of Science, 54(2), pp.189-193.
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Teruel, R. and Seiter, M., 2016. Centruroides platnicki Armas, 1981 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), a new addition to the scorpion fauna of Hispaniola, Greater Antilles.
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