Spider spinneret. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the end of a spider's abdomen showing silk (threads) being produced by a spinneret. S

---

Spider spinneret. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the end of a spider's abdomen showing silk (threads) being produced by a spinneret. Spinnerets produce the silk which spiders use for a wide variety of purposes, such as constructing webs and shelters. Spider's silk is made of a protein polymer called fibroin. It is very elastic and can be stretched 30-40 percent of its length before it breaks. Magnification: x600 when printed 10cm wide.

---

Size: 4559px × 3831px
Photo credit: © STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: abdomen, abdominal, anatomical, anatomy, animal, arachnid, arachnology, arthropod, arthropods, biological, biology, close-, colored, coloured, detail, entomological, entomology, extrude, fauna, fibroin, insects, invertebrate, invertebrates, nature, production, sem, silk, spider, spinneret, strand, strands, web, wildlife, zoological, zoology