Abstract
Observation of ecdysis in one male and three females of the spider Philodroms rufus Walckenaer (family Thomisidae) has revealed a hitherto unreported source of food for newly molted spiders. After hanging suspended from their exuvia by the spinnerets for a few minutes, the spiders suddenly flexed their legs and ran quickly from base to tip of each exuvial leg, pressing their mouthparts along the limbs. On reaching the tip of each tarsus the spiders bit the old cuticle, allowing a column of colorless liquid that extended through the distitarsus and basitarsus and part way up the tibia to be withdrawn steadily and rapidly. One of the spiders drew the liquid from only four of the exuvial legs, while the others drew from all eight. Having fed, the spiders were immediately capable of normal activity.
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