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1 August 2005 ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE 9 0 AXONEMAL PATTERN IN THE SPERMATOZOA OF SHEETWEB SPIDERS (ARANEAE, LINYPHIIDAE)
Peter Michalik, Gerd Alberti
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

In general, flagella and cilia of eukaryotes show an axoneme composed of a 9 2 microtubular pattern. However, the axoneme of spider spermatozoa is characterized by an exceptional 9 3 microtubular pattern, which is known as a synapomorphy of the Megoperculata (Amblypygi, Uropygi and Araneae). In contrast to all other observed spiders, the axoneme of the linyphiid spider Linyphia triangularis, was shown to lack the central microtubules thus representing a 9 0 axoneme. In the present study, we investigated the spermatozoa from several linyphiid species of different genera in order to show whether this peculiar pattern also occurs in other linyphiid spiders. Interestingly, in all observed species (Neriene clathrata, N. peltata, Linyphia hortensis, Lepthyphantes sp., Oedothorax gibbosus, Gongylidium rufipes and Drapetisca socialis) we found the 9 0 microtubular pattern in the axoneme. Since this study, although considering still a very limited number of species, includes species from Linyphiinae (Linyphiini and Micronetini) and Erigoninae it seems likely that this pattern is an autapomorphy of Linyphiidae.

Peter Michalik and Gerd Alberti "ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE 9 0 AXONEMAL PATTERN IN THE SPERMATOZOA OF SHEETWEB SPIDERS (ARANEAE, LINYPHIIDAE)," The Journal of Arachnology 33(2), 569-572, (1 August 2005). https://doi.org/10.1636/04-81.1
Received: 27 September 2004; Published: 1 August 2005
KEYWORDS
axoneme
microtubules
phylogeny
sperm
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