Original paper
Zum Verhalten einer gynandromorphen Wolfspinne (Arachnida: Araneae: Lycosidae)
[Behaviour of a Gynandromorph Wolfspider (Arachnida: Araneae: Lycosidae)]
Gack, Claudia; von Helversen, Otto
Entomologica Germanica Band 3 Heft 1-2 (1976), p. 109 - 118
14 references
published: Oct 4, 1976
DOI: 10.1127/entom.germ/3/1976/109
ArtNo. ESP346000301012, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
The behaviour of a gynandromorph specimen of the wolfspider species Alopecosa pulverulenta (Clerck 1757) was observed in the laboratory. The left side of the lateral gynandromorph, including all limbs of this side, was found to be male whereas the right side was female, except the right pedipalpus, which appeared to be intersexual. The dividing line which ran from the eyes to the spinnerets did not cut the body directly along the median plane; thus the ventral opisthosoma containing the sexual organs was male. The spider built an eggcase which contained a gelatinous fluid but no eggs. The eggcase was not carried by the spinerets as is normal for ♀♀ of this species. The courtship behaviour performed in front of a ♀ was typical for an Alopecosa pulverulenta ♂ The legs of the female side of the body were used during courtship just as the legs of the male side. Two matings with a normal ♀ were observed. Only the left-side (male) pedipalpus was used, no trials with the right palpus occured. This indicates the lack of a nervous center controlling the insertions of the pedipalpus on the female side, confirming Rovner & Wright’s hypothesis of two independent centers which control the insertions of the male palpi in spiders.
Keywords
wolfspider