Caterpillars fit, and there’s one species in particular that goes toe to tentacle with even the most lethal of jellyfish and is a seriously bad time to touch, because it’s urticating hairs connect to toxin secreting cells that pump out a nasty neurotoxin.
But to me, that’s still cheating, in that the most passive and effective urticating hair defense mechanism was selected for as a mere delivery method for venom.
If one wants to see the real absurd intricacies with urticating hair in arthropods, the only game in town are the new world tarantulas.
Entire fricking metas based on 7 different identified urticating hair types and they’re so understudied there’s almost certainly one out there that probably wildcarded old world venom with new world hair styles that we just have not found yet.
Caterpillars with urticating hairs.
Caterpillars fit, and there’s one species in particular that goes toe to tentacle with even the most lethal of jellyfish and is a seriously bad time to touch, because it’s urticating hairs connect to toxin secreting cells that pump out a nasty neurotoxin.
But to me, that’s still cheating, in that the most passive and effective urticating hair defense mechanism was selected for as a mere delivery method for venom.
If one wants to see the real absurd intricacies with urticating hair in arthropods, the only game in town are the new world tarantulas.
Entire fricking metas based on 7 different identified urticating hair types and they’re so understudied there’s almost certainly one out there that probably wildcarded old world venom with new world hair styles that we just have not found yet.
Slap an h in front of that word and it would be absolutely perfect. Hurticating.
Hurticating the countryside.
Hurticating the peasants.
Hurticating all the peoples
And their thatched-roof COTTAGES!!!
HURTGDOR!