The camel spiders are very unusual arachnids, which are easily recognisable by their huge mouthparts and the characteristic elongated body. The animals have no poison glands and kill their prey by the sheer biting power of their jaw claws. They are fast runners, which are especially at home in the Earth’s deserts and steppes. The collections contain valuable type-material for 38 species, mainly from Africa and South America. There are about 1100 species worldwide.