The daddy long-legs spider, Pholcus phalangioides, is a true spider of the family Pholcidae, common in houses, cellars and sheds worldwide, recognizable by its extremely long, thin legs and small pale body suspended in a loose, irregular web. It vibrates rapidly in its web when disturbed, a defense thought to blur its outline against predators, and it is a persistent folk myth, not supported by evidence, that its venom is exceptionally toxic to humans but unable to penetrate human skin.
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