Functional genital morphology of armored spiders (Arachnida: Araneae: Tetrablemmidae).

This study describes the female genitalia of the tetrablemmid spiders Brignoliella acuminata, Monoblemma muchmorei, Caraimatta sbordonii, Tetrablemma magister, and Ablemma unicornis by means of serial semi-thin sections and scanning electron microscopy and compares the results with previous findings on Indicoblemma lannaianum. Furthermore, the male palps and chelicerae are briefly described. The general vulval organization of females is complex and shows similarities in all of the investigated species. The copulatory orifice is situated near the posterior margin of the pulmonary plate. The opening of the uterus externus lies between the pulmonary and the postgenital plate. Paired copulatory ducts lead to sac-like receptacula. Except for A. unicornis, the male emboli of all investigated species are elongated and thread-like. However, they are too short to reach the receptacula. Hence, the spermatozoa have to be deposited inside the copulatory ducts. The same situation was also found in I. lannaianum. Females of this species store sperm encapsulated in secretory balls in their receptacula. The secretion is produced by glands adjoining the receptacula. The presence of paired fertilization ducts and spermatozoa in the uterus internus suggested that fertilization takes place internally in I. lannaianum. Secretory balls in the receptacula are found in all of the investigated species in this study, showing that sperm are stored in the same way. The place of fertilization may also be identical since dark particles, presumably spermatozoa, are located in the uterus internus of all investigated species except for T. magister. However, fertilization ducts are only found in B. acuminata and M. muchmorei. A sclerotized central process with attached muscles is present in A. unicornis, M. muchmorei, C. sbordonii and T. magister. Only in A. unicornis does the central process show an internal lumen and hold spermatozoa. In the other species, it could be used to lock the uterus during copulation in order to prevent sperm from getting into it as suggested for certain oonopid species. The uterus externus of all investigated species shows a sclerotized dorsal fold with attached muscles, previously described as "inner vulval plate." Contractions of the muscles lead to a widening of the dorsal fold, thus creating enough space for the large oocytes to pass the narrow uterus externus. The males of all investigated species have apophyses on their chelicerae. At least in B. acuminata and A. unicornis, where females have paired grooves on the preanal plate, these apophyses allow males to grasp the female during copulation as described for I. lannaianum.