Tartarides

Tartarides

 

an order of small (2–7 mm) arachnids belonging to the pedipalpid group. The pedipalps are thick, with hooklike terminal segments and no claws; the anterior pedipalps are longer and thinner than the others and serve a tactile function. There are no eyes. The order comprises 30 species (three genera), which are distributed in the tropics. They live in soil, in accumulated plant residues, and under rocks and feed on small insects and other invertebrates. They are active in rainy weather. The female deposits several eggs in an earthen chamber at a depth of 15 cm and remains in the chamber until the young hatch.