IJRBAT, Special Issue (2), Vol-V, July 2017 ISSN No. 2347-517X (Online)

Morphology of female genital organs of three from genus (Araneae- Araneidae) Sonali P. Chapke, Bhagat Vijay*. B and Raja. I. A. Shri Shivaji college of Art Comme rce and Science, Akola *Shri Shivaji Colle ge, Akot. [email protected] Abstract The morphology of the female genitalia is assumed to play a crucial role in shaping the sperm priority patte rns in that probably are reflected in the mating behavior of a given species. We examined the morphology of virgin females’ genitalia by means of light microscopy of cleared specimens. The female epigynal plate, of three species of genus Neoscona : Neoscona theisi, Neoscona sinhagadensis and Neoscona rumpfi were dissected out, and internal ginataila are exposed and described. In all three species the internal genitalia, consist of a pair of spermatheca provided with fertilization duct, and copulatory duct. Species specific variations are reported, in the epigyne and internal genitalia. The epigynal plate in N.theisi, and N.rumpfi have a length of aboutn0.9 mm while ventral length in N. sinhagadensis was 0.75mm.Though the scape is found all the three species but its size and shape varies. Key words: Neoscona, genital morphology, epigynum, Scape, spermatheca Introduction: dark. Once complete the host will position herself The female genital structure, or e pigynum, is a head down at the hub (ce ntre) of the web waiting harde ned plate on the unde rside of the abdomen for prey to fly into the web. Insects are attracted in a female spide r. It is close ly associated with the to the window light and it is quite remarkable how gonopore. It is typically very dark and heavily the spide r knew to se lect such an unnatural but sclerotized, however, and thus seem unlikely to use ful site. At the first sign of sunrise, or be fooled be bent by the forces applied by male palps during at the rise of a full moon, the spide r will remove mating. Epigyne also have a more or le ss distinct its web only leaving the bridge line and a few projectile sclerites from the base of the epigyne supporting threads for construction next evening. called scape, others are either plate like or with a There are 116 accepted species of genus median septum instead of scape . During mating Neoscona though out the world, (World spider sperm are transferred into the epigynum, which catalog, 2017). Tikader and BAL (1981) reported then move into receptacles (spermatheca) that 16 species of Neoscona from India. connect to the oviducts. Eggs are fertilized as they The gene ralized morphology of female genitalia or pass through the oviducts and out through the epigyne in genus Neoscona revealed it as a gonopore.In the plesiomorphic “haplogyne” simple tongue like plate. The scape is present but condition, spe rm are introduced through the completely fused to the base and provided with same opening that is used for oviposition .The one or two pairs of lateral lobes. The epigynal spermathecae of haplogyne spiders have only a openings situated underneath of Scape. As single duct, through which sperm both enter and epigyne is the most specific characters, it is exit the spe rmathecae (Austad, 1984). In the authentically known that the differences in the de rived, e ntelegyne condition, a copulatory duct structure of both external and internal are the which connects each spermatheca with the best way for distinguishing one species of female outside is used to introduce sperm into the spide r from othe r. In the present paper we spermatheca, and a separate “fertilization” duct, described the morphology of epigyne in three running from the spe rmatheca to the uterus, is species of genus Neoscona : Neoscona theisi, used to transfer sperm to the eggs (Codington and Neoscona sinhagadensis and Neoscona rumpfi, Le vi, 1991). While male spide r genitalia are collected from Akola district of Maharashtra, universally paired, the female genitalia vary. A fe w India. Such Studies on the genital morphology of have a single spermatheca, and in spide rs he lp in be tter understanding of many some other “primitive” species the female has a issues in evolutionary biology, such as sexual pair of receptacles but the male can fill both with selection (Uhl 2000; Eberhard 2004; Be rendonck a single palp (Haupt, 2003; Costa et al., 2000). and Greven 2005 ) The genus Neoscona of spiders is similar to Materials and Methods Caerostris be ing nocturnal and cryptically Females of, Neoscona theisi, Neoscona colored. It is also referred to as the hairy field sinhagadensis and Neoscona rumpfi, spiders we re spider or orb-web spider and has a globose ly collected in and around Akola district during (round) abdomen which ove rhangs the carapace. September 2011 to January 2012. All specimens The orb-web is constructed at night, shortly after were alive and were moved to the laboratory. The

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IJRBAT, Special Issue (2), Vol-V, July 2017 ISSN No. 2347-517X (Online) specimens were identified by using a Carl-Zeiss constriction at the middle. One pair of conspicuous Stereo-Zoom microscope. The identification was lateral lobes appeared horn like . The spe rmatheca confirmed with the help of available keys and with its both copulatory and fertilization duct using picture key of Tikade r and Bal (1981). The appeared very prominent. female genitalia we re dissected out by giving a cut References: in the ge nital region on the ventral side of the Austad, S.N. (1984). Evolution of spe rm priority abdomen. Epigyne was then cleared in 10% KOH patterns in spide rs. In: Sperm competition aqueous solution until all the tissue was and dissolved. Cleared specimens we re finally the evolution of mating systems (R.L. Smith ed.), transferred into glycerin and checked with a light pp. 223-249. Harvard University Press, microscope . They were photographed, using a Cambridge , Massachusetts. digital camera. Berendonck B, Greven H (2005) Genital Result and Discussion: structures in the e ntelegyne widow spider Neoscona rumpfiis a small spide r just 17.00 mm Latrodectus revivensis (Arachnida; in le ngth with dark brown Cephalothorax, grayish Araneae ; Theridiidae) indicate a low ability brown abdomen and legs are yellowish in color. for cryptic female choice by sperm The epigynum of Neoscona rumpfi (Fig.1), is an manipulation. J Morphol 263:118–132. arched and heavily sclerotized plate with a length Codington, J.A. and Levi, H. W. (1991). of 0.9 mm ve ntrally. It is situated on the ve ntral Systematics and e volution of spide rs side of the female’s abdomen. Epigynal scape with (Arane ae). Annual Review of Ecology and constriction at the bending point and provided Systematic 22,565-92. with a pair of conspicuous horn like lateral lobes Costa, F. G., Pérez-Miles, F. and Corte, S. (2000). ve ntral side of the epigyne provided with a median Which spe rmathe ca is inse minated by each bulge. The spe rmatheca is paired and with both palp in Theraphosidae spide rs?: a study of copulatory and fertilization ducts. Oligoxystre argentinensis (Ischnocolinae). Neoscona sinhagadensisis also smaller spider Journal of 28, 131–132. with a total le ngth of just 12.00 mm. The Ebe rhard, W. G. (2004) why study spider sex: ge neralized color of Cephalothorax and legs, are special traits of spiders facilitate studies of ye llowish brown and the abdomen appeared sperm competition and cryptic female ye llowish white in color. The epigynum of N. choice . J Arachnol 32:545–556. sinhagadensis (Fig. 2), is also highly sclerotized Haupt, J. (2003). The Mesothe lae—a monograph plate, on the ventral side of opisthsoma, close to of an exceptional group of spiders (Araneae: the gonopore. Along ventral side it is Mesothe lae). Zoologica 154, 1–102. comparatively longe r with a ve ntral length of Tikader, B. K. and Bal, A., (1981). Studies on 0.75mm. It has a scape , with an atrium on both some orb– weaving spiders of the gene ra sides. It is provided with prominent, wide rim and Neoscona Simon and Clerck of the is without constriction. There are two family Araneidae (=Argiopidae ) from India. spermathecae on each side, both are oval slightly Rec. Zool. Surv. India, Occ. Pap., 24: 1–60. oblique and thumb-like . Both spe rmathecae Uhl, G. (2000) Female genital morphology and extend from a massive U-shaped structure. sperm priority patterns in spide rs Neoscona theisi is very minute spider with total (Arane ae). In: Toft S, Scharff N (eds) length of just 9.80 mm. It’s Cephalothorax and European Arachnology 2000. Aarhus legs, were yellowish brown colored and the University Press, Aarhus, pp 145–156. abdomen brownish white. The epigyne (Fig. 3) is The World Spider Catalog. (2017). flattened sclerotize d plate its ve ntral length is 0.9 Ge n.Neoscona,Simon,1864 mm. epigyne have a mode rately long Scape which [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spiderge n:01529], become slightly narrow constricted near the base. http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/genusdetail/365 It is also provided with prominent rim and a

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IJRBAT, Special Issue (2), Vol-V, July 2017 ISSN No. 2347-517X (Online)

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