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Silk Production in Adult Males of the Wolf Spider Pardosa Amentata (Cl.) (Araneae, Lycosidae)

1969; Brill; Volume: 20; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1163/002829670x00187

1568-542X

C. van der Kraan, C.J.J. Richter,

Silk-based biomaterials and applications

A method is described for selectively sealing the spinnerets of adult males of Pardosa amentata. The silk produced by males with various spinnerets sealed was investigated. Males, by themselves, in the presence of adult males and in the presence of adult females were tested. It was found that all the silk produced came from the anterior spinnerets. This indicates that no silk is produced from the glandulae aciniformes under these circumstances. The glandulae ampullaceae produce the drag-lines and the glandulae piriformes the attachment discs. Silk from the glandulae piriformes is used to produce two further silk patterns when the male is in the presence of other males or females. The nature of these silk patterns is dependent on the manner in which the male walks in the two situations and the striking feature about this silk production by the glandulae piriformes is that during courtship large quantities of piriform silk are produced compared with the quantities produced in other situations. The meaning of the term drag-line is discussed.