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Spider Fangs
Spiders have two jaws known as their chelicerae. Each chelicerae has a basal segment which houses the spider's fang. When a spider attacks its prey, it retracts its basal segment, allowing the fang to come out and penetrate the body of the insect. Once the fang penetrates the insect, it releases the toxic venom through a small hole in the fang from a poison gland located deeper inside the chelicerae. Inside the body of the insect, the venom works in one of either two ways, based on the type of toxin it contains. Both types prevent further struggle and they demobilize the insect.
Neurotoxic Venom
Neurotoxic venom is the kind spiders most commonly produce. This type of venom attacks the insect's nervous system to cause death and paralysis. Different spiders produce varying types of neurotoxic venom that work in different ways. For instance, window spiders' venom produces muscle spasms which inevitably result in the death of the insect, while the venom of mouse spiders causes an increase in brain activity that interferes with the biological function of insects. Most spiders with venom toxic enough to injure humans produce neurotoxic venom.
Necrotic Venom
A small subsection of spiders produces necrotic venom, including spiders of the recluse family and the six-eyed sand spiders. Necrotic venom contains an agent commonly found in pathogenic bacteria that causes death by destroying cellular tissue at the site of the venom injection. As the venom passes through the body of the insect, its internal organs begin to die. Most spiders that do not create webs for hunting produce necrotic venom. Because of this, necrotic venom immobilizes the spider's prey quickly, preventing further struggle and reducing the potential for the insect to escape the spider before the spider can eat it.
Consuming and Digestion
Once the venom paralyzes or kills the insect, most spiders then inject it with a digestive enzyme which works to liquefy the internal organs of the prey. Because spiders contain a small gut that cannot process solid material, they must begin digestion outside of the stomach. Once the enzymes liquefies the internal elements of the body, the spider than consumes the liquid material, passing it through an internal filter to protect it from solid pieces. While spider venom does help the spider get to this stage in the feeding process, the spider it cannot consume the insect without first injecting digestive enzymes.