Structure of genital organs and mating process of the spiderHemicloea sundevalliThorell, 1870 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

Abstract

A detailed morphology of the male and female copulatory organs of the Australian ground spider Hemicloea sundevalli Thorell, 1870 is presented. The genitalia of the female are characterized by a pair of spermathecae on both sides of vulva. On one side, each spermatheca is connected with the bursa copulatrix, and on the other side, they are connected with the uterus externus that leads to the genital opening. The female epigynum of the genus Hemicloea have a peculiar, folded scapus, which expands during copulation. The structure of the male copulatory bulb was compared with bulbs of other gnaphosid spiders. The embolar part of the male bulb has only an embolus. The embolus is attached to the tegulum by a flexible membrane. This kind of male bulb organization is also characteristic in spiders of the genus Zelanda. During copulation, the male inserts completely the right palp embolus into the right bursa copulatrix of the female. The male tibial retrolateral apophysis is used as a lock mechanism to anchor the male palp onto the epigynum and prevents its rotation. The possible homology of the male bulb structures with those in other gnaphosid spiders is discussed.