Footage shows how flattie spiders turn to capture prey

Flattie spiders can sense prey approaching from any direction and whip around in a record-breaking one-eighth of a second to strike, new research has found. High-speed footage reveals that a swift flex of their long legs helps the hunters accomplish this feat. According to the researchers, their spin is the fastest leg-driven turning maneuver of any terrestrial animal, and also one of the fastest turns on the planet - on the same level as rapid airborne spinners such as hummingbirds and fruit flies. The researchers are now modeling the spiders' spins to help make multi-legged robots and other machines more maneuverable in tight spaces. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of California Merced and the California Academy of Sciences involved using high-speed video cameras to document the movements of individuals from the Selenopidae spider family - commonly known as flattie spiders.