A
the posterior division of the spider body
AER:
anterior eye row
ALE:
anterior lateral eyes
ALS:
anterior lateral spinnerets
containing alveoles, depressions, pits
the concave ventral surface of the male palpal cymbium; the modified palpal tarsus of the male in which lies the genital bulb
AME:
anterior median eyes
a small lobe posterior to the spinnerets that bears the anal opening
front (toward the front); aterior view
the anteriormost row of eyes, usually consisting of the anterior median and anterior lateral eyes
eyes situated on the anterolateral portion of the eye group
Anterior lateral spinnerets (ALS) (= anterior spinnerets):
spinnerets that are located closest to the venter
Anterior median eyes (AME) (= primary eyes):
these are morphologically distinct from the other eyes and are often reduced or lost
see anterior lateral spinnerets
toward the terminal portion of an appendage (away from the body)
cuticular or sclerotised projection, common on palpal segments, including femur, patella or tibia of the palp; see also tibial apophysis (TA) and retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA)
infraorder of spiders characterised by diaxial chelicerae and one pair of book lungs
the enlarged opening of the gonopore in haplogyne females; a cavity in the epigynal plate of entelegyne females containing copulatory openings
B
toward the body or the base of an appendage
a respiratory structure consisting of a rounded gas exchange portion with a posterior spiracle. Most Araneomorphae have a single pair located anterolaterally of the epigastric furrow; Mygalomorphae and Gradungulidae have a second pair posterior of the epigastric furrow
a rounded swelling located at the base of the chelicera
small rigid setae or small spines
Bulb (= bulbus = genital bulb = palpal organ):
the genital structure of the male spider
C
a row of curved thick setae (rarely arranged in an oval patch) located dorsally along metatarsus IV of cribellate spiders; used for combing out silk from the cribellum
dorsal part of the cephalothorax
Cephalic region (= caput = cephalon = pars cephalica):
the anterior (= head) portion of the carapace< /A>
see cephalic region
the anterior division of the spider body
the anterior appendages of a spider (the "jaws") consisting of a large basal segment (paturon) and an apical fang
Cheliceral furrow (= fang furrow):
the groove of the chelicera into which the fang closes
large and/or tiny tooth-like projections on the cheliceral furrow margins
a small sclerite at the base of the chelicera (under the clypeus)
a type of mating spur consisting of an enlarged, curved spine that articulates against the leg segment, as in Mysmenidae
Claw:
see tarsal claw
a dense brush of setae between the paired tarsal claws; almost always indicates the absence of the unpaired claw; tufts may be composed of simple setae or thick broad ones (= tenent setae)
the space between the anterior edge of the carapace and the anterior eyes
a nonfunctional cribellum that may be as large as a cribellum but is more commonly reduced to a small fleshy lobe or even just a pair of setae
the structure of the male palp associated with the embolus; may be sclerotised or hyaline
ducts in the female genitalia which connect the copulatory pores to the spermathecae
Copulatory openings (= copulatory pores = epigynal openings):
external pores on the epigyna of entelegyne females
see copulatory openings
the basal, or first, segment of a leg and palp
having a cribellum
a broad flat spinning plate anterior to the remaining spinnerets of cribellate spiders
the adult male palpal tarsus, especially when modified as a spoon-shaped structure containing the palpal bulb
D
Diad:
a pair of two contiguous eyes
downward projecting chelicerae with the fangs operating along the transverse axis; present in Araneomorphae
toward the terminal portion of an appendage (away from the body)
upper surface (toward the top); dorsal view
see fovea
E
lacking a cribellum
away from the midline of the body
in the Linyphiidae, the terminal portion of the palpal bulb, consisting of the radix, the embolus and various accessory sclerites. It is attached to the suprategulum by a narrow stalk
the intromittent organ of the male palp, connected to the sperm reservoir; often slender, but variable in shape and length
Endite (= maxilla = gnathocoxa = gnathobase):
the expanded lobe of the palpal coxa situated laterally of the labium
Entelegyne (= entelegynous condition):
the derived form of spider genitalia where the female has external copulatory openings, typically on a sclerotised epigynum, and the male has relatively complex palpi; also refers to the clade, Entelegynae, which includes the vast majority of living spiders; see haplogyne
a transverse groove across the anterior ventral part of the abdomen
see epigynum
Epigynum (pl: epigyna) (= epigyne):
the sclerotised region of female spiders covering the internal genitalia and located between the book lungs and anterior of the epigastric furrow
F
Fang:
the apical segment of a chelicera; has the opening of the venom gland
see cheliceral furrow
the third segment of the leg, outward from the body, located between the trochanter and patella
an opening or orifice
Fovea (= dorsal groove = thoracic groove = furrow = pit):
the central depression in the carapace representing the invagination of the carapace where the stomach muscles attach
G
see bulb
the genital opening, located in the middle of the epigastric furrow
H
Haplogyne (= haplogynous condition):
the primitive form of spider genitalia where the female has the copulatory openings internally, within the gonopore, and typically lacks a sclerotised epigynum, and the male has relatively simple palpi; this form is found in the basal spiders, including Mygalomorphae, Gradungulidae, and Haplogynae; see entelegyne.
I
of uncertain position
L
the anterior median extension of the sternum, which constitutes a separate sclerite
a short projection from the labrum of certain spiders (Anapidae)
the upper lip (usually covered by the chelicerae and not easily visible)
crab-like leg orientation with the legs directed outward from the body; these legs are twisted at the trochanter with the morphologically prolateral surface assuming a dorsal position (e.g., Thomisidae)
M
see spines
a tooth on the cheliceral face
see endite
on the male palp, a sclerotised structure in the lower center of the bulb
see posterior median spinnerets
toward the midline of the body
the 6
th segment of the leg, located between the tibia and tarsusinfraorder of spiders charact
N
Nomen dubium (pl: nomina dubia):
Latin term for scientific names of unknown or doubtful application
O
see abdomen
P
the most anterior leg-like appendage in spiders
see bulb
see palp
an appendage of the cymbium; usually a rigid outgrowth but may be flexibly attached by a membrane
type of chelicerae that project forward with fangs articulating along the longitudinal (vertical) axis (like the teeth of a garden rake); present in Mesothelae and Mygalomorphae
see cephalic region
the 4
th segment of the legs and palpi outward from the body; it is a short, slightly curved segment located between the femur and tibiathe basal segment of a chelicera
comb-like
the narrowed connection between the cephalothorax and abdomen; the "waist" of the spider
see palp
spine-like teeth on the chelicerae situated in sockets
PER:
posterior eye row
PLE:
posterior lateral eyes
PLS:
posterior lateral spinnerets
recumbent setae with long branches
PME:
posterior median eyes
PMS:
extending forward; in spiders refers to the projecting diaxial chelicerae of certain Araneomorphae, as Dysderidae and some Desidae, to differentiate them from the paraxial chelicerae of Mygalomorphae
back; toward the back; posterior view
the posteriormost row of eyes, usually consisting of the posterior median and posterior lateral eyes
eyes situated on the posterolateral portion of the eye group
Posterior lateral spinnerets (PLS):
spinnerets that are located closest to the dorsum
eyes situated on the posterio median portion of the eye group
Posterior median spinnerets (PMS):
spinnerets located between the posterior lateral spinnerets (PLS) and the anterior lateral spinnerets (ALS)
see posterior lateral spinnerets
outgrowth of surface, margin, or appendage
retrolateral paracymbium found in pholcids
one in which the lateral eyes are positioned anterior to the median eyes
typical leg orientation with the anterior pairs directed forward and the posterior pairs backwards (e.g., in Lycosidae)
on the anterior surface of an appendage
the anterior margin of the cheliceral furrow in Araneomorphae (mesal margin in Mygalomorphae)
on the anterior margin
see cephalothorax
toward the body or the base
R
sclerotised apophysis of the male palp
a rake-like structure near the cheliceral fang base of some Mygalomorphae
one which is thicker apically than basally
one in which the lateral eyes are positioned posterior to the median eyes
on the posterior surface of an appendage
Retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA):
a sclerotised process on the retrolateral face of the male palpal tibia
the posterior margin of the cheliceral furrow in Araneomorphae (ectal margin in Mygalomorphae)
RTA:
see retrolateral tibial apophysis
S
flattened setae of various shapes
an elongated process of some epigyna, usually posteriorly directed
a sclerotised plate
the process of becoming sclerotised, or thickened and hardened
thickened and hardened
a brush of setae, such as the dense pads along the ventro-apical surface of the legs, where they may occur with or without claw tufts; also refers to the looser fringe of setae on the anterior edge of the endite and labium
sclerotised abdominal plate, usually dorsal, of some Araneomorphae
entelegyne spiders that are characterised by the loss of the external copulatory openings of the female genitalia, therefore resembling haplogyne spiders
chelicerae intermediate between the diaxial condition of araneomorphs and paraxial of mygalomophs, as in Grandungulidae
a row of tiny teeth along the anterior edge of the endite
may be erect or recumbent; simple, serrate, feathery, to plumose, or clavate to broad scales
circular impressions or "dimples" on the abdomen and sternum of some spiders representing points of muscle attachment and endoskeletal attachments
referring to non-reproductive structures
Spermatheca (pl: spermathecae) (= seminal receptacle):
internal sclerotised sperm-storage sacs present in all female spiders
tiny cylindrical extension of the spinnerets from which silk is extruded
a) pointed rigid structure situated in a socket and capable of articulating; as this is an enlarged seta, macroseta is a more correct although less often used term in spider taxonomy — b) solid, pointed extension of the cuticle
finger-like or conical silk spinning organs located at the posterior end of the abdomen
the opening into the book lung or trachea
the ventral sclerite of the cephalothora
a series of fine grooves used in conjunction with thorns to produce sound, typically located along the ectal margin of the chelicera or along the anteroventral margin of the abdomen
the basal sclerite of the male genital bulb
T
TA:
tibial apophysis
sharp curved structure at the tip of the tarsus, typically 1 on the palp and 2 or 3 on the legs
. See also paired claws and unpaired clawsense organs, usually pit-like, on the dorsal surface of spider tarsi
projecting membrane replacing the tarsal organ, as found in
Otira (Amaurobiidae)Tarsus (pl: tarsi) (= distitarsus):
the 7
th or distal-most segment of the leg, the distal segment of the palpconical, pointed, rigid outgrowths of the margins of the cheliceral furrow
the middle sclerite of the male palp that contains the sperm duct and bears the embolus
5
th segment of the leg and palp; located between patella and metatarsus of leg, patella and tarsus of palpa process on the male palpal tibia, most commonly retrolateral, but may occur on other surfaces
. See also retrolateral tibial apophysisthe opening to the tracheal respiratory system
a group of three contiguous eyes
Trichobothrium (pl: trichobothria):
a sensory seta (sensillum) arising from a round pit (bothrium); typically these are very slender and project vertically from the surface above the other setae
second segment of the leg or palp between the coxa and femur, often a short ring-shaped segment
obligate cave dwellers that typically show morphological adaptations to cave life such as loss of pigmentation, elongation of appendages and a reduction (partial or complete) of eyes
facultative cave dwellers; taxa that show affinities for cave habitats
U
Unpaired claw (= median claw):
the third claw (not paired) located apically on the tarsus; absent from male palpi
V
bottom (toward the bottom), ventral view