Development of Loxosceles intermedia Mello-Leitão (1934) (Araneae, Sicariidae) genital tract

• Published in: Brazilian journal of biology Vol. 71; no. 3; pp. 747 - 754
• Main Authors: Margraf, A, Costa-Ayub, C L S, Okada, M A, Gomes, J R, Ortolani-Machado, C F, Soares, M A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Association of the Brazilian Journal of Biology 01.08.2011; Instituto Internacional de Ecologia
• Subjects: Animals; Araneae; BIOLOGY; brown spider; Female; Genitalia, Female - growth & development; Genitalia, Male - growth & development; Loxosceles intermedia; Male; post-embryonic development; reproductive system; Sexual Maturation; Spiders - classification; Spiders - growth & development; Brazil; aranha marrom; desenvolvimento pós-embrionário; sistema reprodutor; brown spider; reproductive system; post-embryonic development
• ISSN: 1519-6984; 1678-4375; 1678-4375; 1519-6984
• DOI: 10.1590/S1519-69842011000400021

We examined the post-embryonic development of the male and female genital apparatus of the brown spider, Loxosceles intermedia. The development of the genital apparatus for both sexes begins with the appearance of inner structures. In the male genital apparatus, formation of the testes occurs first, followed by differentiation of the duct, ampulla and vas deferens, and finally the formation of the genital opening and differentiation of the copulatory organ (secondary sexual characteristic). Similarly, the development of the female genital apparatus begins with the formation of the ovaries, followed by the appearance of oocytes in vitellogenesis, then the development of oviducts and uterus internus and, finally, the spermatheca. These data may be very important in further comparative studies on the development of the reproductive system of spiders.