Tarantula Glossary
Page 1 of 2 | © 2005-2010 text by Michael Jacobi
Next Page ⇒ | Issue 3 Contents | E-Zine Directory
ANATOMY
ABDOMEN (OPISTHOSOMA) second segment of the body
AME (ANTERIOR MEDIAN EYES) middle pair of eyes towards the front of the carapace
ALE (ANTERIOR LATERAL EYES) outer pair of eyes towards the side of the carapace
BOOK LUNG one type of respiratory organ in spiders; tarantulas have four
BULBUS the ventral aspect of the pedipal tarsus in an ultimate male
CARAPACE dorsal surface of first segment of the body
CEPHALOTHORAX (PROSOMA) first segment of the body that is dorsally covered by the carapace and supports the legs, pedipalps, and chelicerae
CHELICERA (pl. CHELICERA) the "jaws"; the appendages which function in feeding and grooming and end in a fang
CLYPEUS area between the anterior row of eyes and the anterior edge of the carapace
COXA (pl. COXAE) first (basal) segment of leg or pedipalp (moving away from body)
CYMBIUM the dorsal aspect of the pedipal tarsus in an ultimate male
EMBOLUS (pl. EMBOLI) the organ of the bulbus that holds sperm
ENDITE the enlarged basal segment of the pedipalp
EPIANDROUS FUSILLAE auxillary silk spinning tubes connected to the epiandrous glands in male spiders that are used in sperm web construction
EPIGASTRIC FURROW the groove that goes across the anterior ventral surface of the abdomen and includes two booklung openings and the genital opening
EPIGYNUM plates surrounding the female genital opening (on ventral surface of abdomen); the external female genitalia
FANG structures at the ends of the chelicerae with openings leading to venom glands
FEMUR third segment (and longest) of leg or pedipalp (moving away from body)
FOVEA dorsal area near center of the carapace where internal musculature attaches
HEMOLYMPH the clearish-white blood of arachnids and other arthropods
INTROMITTENT ORGANS male organs (pedipalps) used to transfer sperm to females
LABIUM a platelike structure between the two endites
MAXILLARY LYRA lyre-shaped structure arising from the mouthparts
METATARSUS sixth segment of leg or pedipalp (moving away from body) Ð absent from pedipalp
OCULAR TUBERCLE the protuberance of the anterior carapace bearing the eyes
OPISTHOSOMA abdomen; second segment of body
PATELLA fourth segment of leg or pedipalp (moving away from body)
PEDICEL stalk or segment linking the cephalothorax to the abdomen
PEDIPALP(s) leg-like first pair of appendages used in sensory perception and prey capture
PLE (POSTERIOR LATERAL EYES) outer pair of eyes towards the rear of the carapace
PME (POSTERIOR MEDIAN EYES) middle pair of eyes towards the rear of the carapace
PROSOMA see CEPHALOTHORAX
SCOPULA (pl. SCOPULAE) specialized setae on the ventral surface of the tarsi, used for gripping smooth surfaces when the tarantula climbs
SCOPULAR PAD a dense concentration of many scopulae, usually located on the ventral surface of the tarsi, especially in arboreal tarantulas
SETA (pl. SETAE) "hairs" or bristles
SIGILLA (pl. SIGILLAE) externally visible oval to round muscle beginnings
SPERMATHECA (pl. SPERMATHECAE) pocketlike receptacles composed of chitin that reside internally in the female tarantula's abdomen and into which seminal fluid is deposited and stored
SPERM WEB special silk platform where male deposits a drop of sperm
SPINNERETS organs from which silk exits; tarantulas have four
SPIRACLE opening to the respiratory organs (i.e., book lungs)
STERNUM hardened plate forming the ventral surface of the cephalothorax
TARSUS (pl. TARSI) terminal segment of the leg or pedipalp; seventh segment of leg or sixth segment of pedipalp (moving away from body)
TARSAL CLAW a claw at the end of the tarsus
TIBIA fifth segment of leg or pedipalp (moving away from body)
TIBIAL APOPHYSIS a hook-like structure found in some ultimate males that is used to engage the femaleÕs chelicerae during mating
TROCHANTER second segment of leg or pedipalp (moving away from body)
UNGUIS paired lateral claws on the distal segment of the leg
URTICACEOUS SETAE urticating hairs; barbed, membrane-irritating bristles that many New World tarantulas use as a defense mechanism; normally located on the abdomen, but are found on the pedipalps of the genus Ephebopus.