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Complex genital structures indicate cryptic female choice in a haplogyne spider (arachnida, araneae, oonopidae, gamasomorphinae)
Author(s) -
Burger Matthias,
Nentwig Wolfgang,
Kropf Christian
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.10048
Subject(s) - spermatheca , biology , spider , anatomy , female sperm storage , uterus , sex organ , sperm , zoology , sexual selection , sperm competition , botany , genetics
Female genital structures with their allied muscles of the haplogyne spider Opopaea fosuma are described. A functional explanation of this system is given, which indicates that cryptic female choice may occur in these spiders: the anterior wall of their spermatheca is strongly sclerotized and possesses a cone‐shaped hole in its upper part. A transverse sclerite that serves as muscle attachment bears a nail‐like structure and lies in a chitinized area of the anterior wall of the uterus externus. Muscle contraction presses this nail into the hole of the spermatheca. In this way, the uterus externus gets both locked and fixed. Furthermore, as this occurs the copulatory orifice is enlarged and the resulting suction probably leads to previously deposited sperm being drawn from the spermatheca and dumped. This is a common mechanism used by females to influence a male's chances of fathering their offspring in a process known as cryptic female choice. J. Morphol. 255:80–93, 2003. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.