Camel spiders became an Internet sensation during the Iraq war of 2003, when rumors of their bloodthirsty nature began to circulate online. For many years, Middle Eastern rumors have painted camel spiders as large, venomous predators, as fast as a running human, with a voracious appetite for large mammals. The myths are untrue. The camel spider's history of misinformation begins with a misidentification. Camel spiders are not even spiders – they are members of the class Arachnida, but are actually solpugids and are only about 6 inches long. Their top speed is estimated at 10 miles (16 kilometers) per hour. Camel spiders are not deadly to humans, but they are vicious predators that can visit death upon insects, rodents, lizards, and small birds. They boast large, powerful jaws, which can be up to one-third of their body length. Camel spiders are not venomous, but they do utilize digestive fluids to liquefy their victims' flesh, making it easy to suck the remains into their stomachs. __
