Troops in Iraq fight bugs, parasites

Published: 18:13 EST, May 07, 2007 http://www.physorg.com/news97780415.html

A parasitic disease transmitted by sand flies has become so common in Iraq that troops call it the "Baghdad boil."

The Boston Globe reported 2,500 U.S. troops have been infected with the disease, leishmaniasis, in the past four years.
The military recommends troops sleep with bed nets, wear uniforms treated with insect repellant, treat exposed skin with the chemical DEET and wear long pants, long-sleeves and socks when outside to avoid the tiny, hopping insects that carry the disease, which often causes a rash. But Army Col. Peter J. Weina of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Md., learned on a trip to Iraq that some commanders don't follow the recommendations to combat the sand flies and leishmaniasis.
"In some areas, every one had heard about bed nets and about leishmaniasis, but other military units were totally oblivious," Weina told the Globe.
"From the perspective of the person on the ground, they are bombarded with so many concerns. The way the war is going now, getting a little sore that may or may not go away is minor compared to losing your leg," he said.
The disease can be fatal if it strikes the organs, the Globe reported.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International

I remembered a photo someone sent me about 3-4 years ago. With these huge spiders!
camel spider in Iraq Camel Spider (Solifugidae)

Camel spiders [pictures], or windscorpions, are neither true spiders nor true scorpions. They belong to a separate group of arachnids called solifugids (sunspiders or Solfugidae). Solifugids are medium-sized arachnids that occur mainly in arid regions of the world. They are nocturnal predators that can run very fast. The long, forward-projecting front "legs" are really pedipalps used in food-handling and mating. Solifugids are not poisonous but may inflict a painful bite like any large arthropod.

note: the name "camel spider" is actually misspelled here. Since these arachnids are not true spiders the correct spelling should be camelspider or camel-spider. However, popular usage is clearly on the side of "camel spider"; also called wind scorpions and sun spiders; sand flies are sometimes called sand fleas.

An urban legend has sprung up around the camel spiders found by US soldiers in the deserts of Iraq. In the spring of 2004 a photo of soldiers in Iraq holding what appears to be two large camel spiders (above) began circulating on the Internet.

The two camel spiders appear to be the size of the soldier's thigh, or larger. Reports circulated that these creatures were both poisonous and aggressive which is false. This legend actually started in 1990-91 during the first Gulf War. See the Spider Myths & Facts site for additional history about this legend.

If you look closely you'll see that this picture is distorted somewhat. The distortion is caused by moving the camera very close to the specimen. Compare the size of the camel spiders to the near jacket sleeve in the photo.

In the US solifugids are less than 2" (50 mm) in length (body) with a back leg to pedipalp span of around 4-5" (125 mm). In other regions of the world the leg to pedipalp span can be as much as 6" (150 mm). So why are these arthropods commonly reported to be much bigger? First, solifugids move fast.
People are innately fearful of fast-moving arthropods and almost always exaggerate their size. Second, the long, forward-projecting pedipalps make the overall body size appear larger when viewed from above. While camel spiders may serve as a good vehicle for teaching new soldiers about the dangers of desert wildlife, the real threats are from much smaller arthropods.
Dangerous insects, spiders and other arachnids in Iraq
Mosquitoes, sand flies and scorpions, not camel spiders, are the main arthropod threats to anyone in the deserts of the Middle East. Mosquitoes occur anywhere there is standing water and may transmit the malaria pathogen, and other serious diseases. Phlebotomine sand flies are small, delicate, hairy flies similar in appearace to drain flies (Psychodidae). They are vectors of the human pathogen causing leishmaniasis, a very serious skin and internal organ disease. Repellents containing DEET and permethrin-treated clothing are effective for both mosquitoes and sand flies.
Finally, there are a number of scorpion species that can inflict a painful and sometimes poisonous sting from their tail-mounted stinger. Because scorpions are relatively large they are more easily avoided than either mosquitoes or sand flies. [ Found on Living with bugs.]

Snoopes says they are real. Da. Says there are reasons why to stay out of the desert. Though Snoopes does disclaim some of the discriptions of the 'spiders' that are not spiders but wind scorpions. That this is an angle of the camera. Another exageration.
There is a link to an artile by National Geographic.

Camel Spiders: Behind an E-Mail Sensation From Iraq

Cameron Walker for National Geographic News June 29, 2004

This spring, an arachnophobe's biggest nightmare started to pop up in e-mail in-boxes. A photo of two huge spiders, each the size of a man's calf, was accompanied by an alarming note. The sender said his or her friend—or friend of a friend—knew a soldier stationed in Iraq who had said that these spiders could inject a sleeping soldier with anesthetic, then chew out a chunk of flesh.

Creepy? Yes. But arachnid experts say it's a hoax. In fact, the creatures in the photo aren't spiders at all. They're actually solpugids, or solifugids (aka camel spiders, aka wind scorpions). Along with spiders, they are members of the class Arachnida. The eight-legged solifugids have no venom glands, and the largest species is no more than 15 centimeters (6 inches) long with its legs outstretched. "If any solpugid has anything they can inject, I haven't heard of it," said Rod Crawford, an arachnologist at the Burke Museum in Seattle, Washington.

Crawford has been debunking this and other spider myths for several years. This rumor, he said, spread to Western countries during the 1990-91 Gulf War and has now reemerged and become even more widespread with the return of U.S. troops to Iraq.

"Wind Scorpions" Around the World

In an article in the July issue of National Geographic magazine, writer and photographer Mark W. Moffett tracks "wind scorpions" in the Middle East and closer to home.

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0407/feature5/index.html

Gosh any one can think of a pet! There are some mighty strange people out there!

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WIND SPIDER
Galeodes arabs Origin: Sinai desert Family:

http://wwwfaunaimportuk.com/ Only for the trade but welcomes you to enjoy their site.

Also known as Camel spider, Wind scorpions, Solifugid.

This rarely imported species occasionally arrives in Egyptian shipments.

This weird looking arachnid is not in fact a scorpion or spider at all but belongs to its own order- solifugid. This species can attain a leg span of 5” and a body of 2”. Wind spiders are fast moving aggressive hunters, capable of over powering much larger prey than itself. Its front pair of legs are modified as feelers to detect and pull its prey into its large over sized jaws. Its three pairs of legs are capable of speed making this creature a fast moving killing machine.

The wind spider is adapted to life in the desert and can withstand the harsh environment well. As its name suggests it can sometimes be seen tumbling around in sand storms. To escape the worst of the environment they sometimes make burrows under bushes, buildings etc. The female will also make a burrow to lay her eggs.

This can be a challenging captive, but the examples we have imported recently have arrived in good condition. The wind spider is a seasonal animal so life expectance is not long, and growth is rapid due to their huge appetite. They are best kept in an aquarium with sand and potting compost mix, they don’t require humidity but some will drink form shallow water dishes or damp cotton wool. Temperatures should be in the 80°F with a 10°F night drop. Temperature variations should be provided, with hot and cooler spots. The opportunity to burrow must be provided, especially when dealing with wild collected females.

Take a look at the size of this creature’s jaws and you will appreciate the immense power, as previously mentioned overpowering a larger creature is not a problem. In the wild the diet would consist of small lizards & invertebrates, in captivity suitably sized commercial raised live foods are satisfactory.

Not much is known about the breeding cycle of this species, although the female is known to bury her eggs in a burrow. The hatching time is not known, so if you are lucky enough to have a female lay a clutch of eggs make sure you write notes of what happens, even if it is nothing at all.

Overall this is an amazing creature, not for the novice but if you have experience with inverts why not give it a go? The wind spider is not venomous in any way but those jaws can give a very painful bite, I have not been bitten myself, but I bet if it bites it won’t let go!

Labels: bugs, hostile enviornment, Iraq, military, soldiers