DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
How the Black Widow Spider Digests [1] [2]:
1) In order for the spider to get food it must patiently wait.
2) As soon as its prey is captured the black widow spider bites in order to insert venom into its prey. The venom takes 10 minutes to affect the prey.
3) Meanwhile the spider releases a digestive enzyme that soften the wound.
4.) Once it has eaten its prey, the liquid moves into the foregut through the esophagus and larynx, which leads into the sucking stomach.
5.) The sucking stomach uses muscles and energy to act as a pump to push the liquid food through the spider.
6.) Some food can be stored in the digestive caeca which connect to the legs. This is one of the reasons why spiders can live for a longer time period without eating.
7.) Then the wastes are pumped out of the anus.
[1] http://bugguide.net/node/view/26336
[2] http://atshq.org/articles/Digestion.pdf
1) In order for the spider to get food it must patiently wait.
2) As soon as its prey is captured the black widow spider bites in order to insert venom into its prey. The venom takes 10 minutes to affect the prey.
3) Meanwhile the spider releases a digestive enzyme that soften the wound.
4.) Once it has eaten its prey, the liquid moves into the foregut through the esophagus and larynx, which leads into the sucking stomach.
5.) The sucking stomach uses muscles and energy to act as a pump to push the liquid food through the spider.
6.) Some food can be stored in the digestive caeca which connect to the legs. This is one of the reasons why spiders can live for a longer time period without eating.
7.) Then the wastes are pumped out of the anus.
[1] http://bugguide.net/node/view/26336
[2] http://atshq.org/articles/Digestion.pdf