Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cuticular Structures of New World Tarantulas: Ultramorphology of Setae and Other Features

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
New World Tarantulas

Part of the book series: Zoological Monographs ((ZM,volume 6))

Abstract

Studying morphology of Theraphosidae spiders can be very challenging, especially if the main objective is assembling characters for systematics. Such spiders present a homogeneous morphology, which, according to some specialists, has driven the attention of systematists to other groups of Araneae. Nevertheless, a great diversity of cuticular structures has been overlooked until the widespread use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the last years for theraphosids. Among all mygalomorphs, Theraphosidae spiders possess the greatest variety of cuticular features. Data regarding cuticular features are still incipient, but we have been gathering massive quantity of SEM images of all parts of the spider body, revealing interesting structures to be used in systematics and investigated for functional morphology. In addition to the well-known tarsal adhesive setae of theraphosids and the urticating setae of Theraphosinae, we found putative chemosensitive setae, a great variety of stridulating setae, distinct morphologies of leg and palpal structures, including cuticular projections, labial and maxillary cuspules, trichobothria, as well as other enigmatic features. In this chapter, we aim to present a comprehensive revision of cuticular features of New World Theraphosidae spiders, with descriptions and micrographs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Andre C, Hüsser M (2016) Die Gattung Typhoclhaena—Historie und Systematik sowie Habitat und Lebensweise von T. seladonia, T. costae und T. curumim. Arachne 21:33–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Barth FG (2002) A spider’s world: senses and behavior. Springer, Berlin, p 393

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertani R (2001) Revision, cladistic analysis, and zoogeography of Vitalius, Nhandu, and Proshapalopus; with notes on other theraphosine genera (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Arq Zool 36:265–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertani R (2012) Revision, cladistic analysis and biogeography of Typhochlaena CL Koch, 1850, Pachistopelma Pocock, 1901 and Iridopelma Pocock, 1901 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae). ZooKeys 230:1–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertani R, Guadanucci JPL (2013) Morphology, evolution and usage of urticating setae by tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Fortschr Zool 30:403–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertani R, Marques OAV (1995) Release of urticating hairs by some Aviculariinae. Zool Anz 234:161–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertani R, Boston T, Evenou Y, Guadanucci JPL (2003) Release of urticating hairs by Avicularia versicolor (Walckenaer, 1837) (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Bull Br Arachnol Soc 12:395–398

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertani R, Fukushima CS, Da Silva PI (2008) Two new species of Pamphobeteus Pocock 1901 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) from Brazil, with a new type of stridulatory organ. Zootaxa 1826:45–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertani R, Nagahama RH, Fukushima CS (2011) Revalidation of Pterinopelma Pocock 1901 with description of a new species and the female of Pterinopelma vitiosum (Keyserling 1891) (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae). Zootaxa 2814:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumenthal H (1935) Untersuchungen über das ‘Tarsalorgan’ der Spinnen. Z Morphol Ökol Tiere 29:667–719

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bond JE, Hendrixson BE, Hamilton CA, Hedin M (2012) A reconsideration of the classification of the spider infraorder Mygalomorphae (Arachnida: Araneae) based on three nuclear genes and morphology. PLoS One 7:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Bücherl W (1957) Sobre a importância dos bulbos copuladores e das apófises tibiais dos machos na sistemática das aranhas caranguejeiras (Orthognatha). An Acad Bras Ciênc 29:377–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooke JA, Roth VD, Miller FH (1972) The urticating hairs of theraphosid spiders. Am Mus Novit 2498:1–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Den Otter CJ (1973) Setiform sensilla and prey detection in the bird-spider Sericopelma rubronitens Ausserer (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Neth J Zool 24:219–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferretti N, Pompozzi G, Pérez-Miles F (2011) The species of Grammostola (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from Central Argentina: taxonomy, distribution, and surface ultrastructure of coxal setae. Zootaxa 2828:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferretti N, Pompozzi G, Copperi S, González A, Pérez-Miles F (2013) Sexual behaviour of mygalomorph spiders: when simplicity becomes complex; an update of the last 21 years. Arachnology 16:85–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferretti N, Pompozzi G, Copperi S, Wehitt A, Galíndez E, González A, Pérez-Miles F (2017) A comparative morphological study of the epiandrous apparatus in mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Mygalomorphae). Micron 93:9–19

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foelix R (1996) Biology of spiders. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Foelix RF, Chu-Wang IW (1973) The morphology of spider sensilla II. Chemoreceptors. Tissue Cell 5:461–478

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foelix R, Erb B, Michalik P (2010) Scopulate hairs in male Liphistius spiders: probable contact chemoreceptors. J Arachnol 38:599–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foelix RF, Rast B, Peattie AM (2012) Silk secretion from tarantula feet revisited: alleged spigots are probably chemoreceptors. J Exp Biol 215:1084–1089

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foelix RF, Erb B, Hill DE (2013) Structural colors in spiders. In: Nentwig W (ed) Spider ecophysiology. Springer, Berlin, pp 333–347

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fukushima CS, Bertani R (2017) Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) with description of three new aviculariine genera. ZooKeys 659:1–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabriel R (2014) A new genus and species of theraphosid spider from El Salvador (Araneae: Theraphosidae). J Br Tarantula Soc 29:146–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabriel G, Sherwood D (2018) Re-description of the male of Psalmopoeus pulcher Petrunkevitch, 1925 with the first description of the female (Araneae: Theraphosidae). J Br Tarantula Soc 33:8–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Galleti-Lima AG, Guadanucci JPL (2018) Morphology of setae on the coxae and trochanters of theraphosine spiders (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae). J Arachnol 46(2):214–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gargiulo FDF, Brescovit AD, Lucas SM (2018) Umbyquyra gen. nov., a new tarantula spider genus from the Neotropical region (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae), with a description of eight new species. Eur J Taxon 457:1–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaskett AC (2007) Spider sex pheromones: emission, reception, structures, and functions. Biol Rev 82:27–48

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goloboff PA (1993) A reanalysis of mygalomorph spider families (Araneae). Am Mus Novit 3056:1–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorb SN, Niederegger S, Hayashi CY, Summers AP, Vötsch W, Walther P (2006) Biomaterials: silk-like secretion from tarantula feet. Nature 443:407

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gorb SN, Niederegger S, Hayashi CY, Summers AP, Vötsch W, Walther P (2009) Gorb et al. reply. Nature 461:E9–E10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guadanucci JPL (2005) Tarsal scopula significance in Ischnocolinae phylogenetics (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae). J Arachnol 33:456–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guadanucci JPL (2012) Trichobothrial morphology of Theraphosidae and Barychelidae spiders (Araneae, Mygalomorphae). Zootaxa 3439:1–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guadanucci JPL (2014) Theraphosidae phylogeny: relationships of the ‘Ischnocolinae’ genera (Araneae, Mygalomorphae). Zool Scr 43:508–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill DE (1979) The scales of salticid spiders. Zool J Linn Soc 65(3):193–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Horn E, Bishof HJ (1983) Gravity reception in crickets: the influence of cercal and antennal afferences on the head position. J Comp Physiol 150:93–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsiung BK, Deheyn DD, Shawkey MD, Blackledge TA (2015) Blue reflectance in tarantulas is evolutionarily conserved despite nanostructural diversity. Sci Adv 1:e1500709

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jocqué R (2005) Six stridulating organs on one spider (Araneae, Zodariidae): is this the limit? J Arachnol 33:597–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lapinski W, Walther P, Tschapka M (2015) Morphology reflects microhabitat preferences in an assemblage of Neotropical wandering spiders. Zoomorphology 134:219–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legendre R (1963) L’audition et l’émission de sons chez les Aranéides. Ann Biol 2:371–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Marples BJ (1967) The spinnerets and epiandrous glands of spiders. Zool J Linnean Soc 46:209–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marroquín JIM (2014) Taxonomic revision of Hemirrhagus Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae), with description of five new species from Mexico. Zool J Linnean Soc 170:634–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall SD, Uetz GW (1990a) Pedipalpal brush of Ephebopus sp. (Araneae, Theraphosidae): evidence of a new site for urticating hairs. Bull Br Arachnol Soc 8:122–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall SD, Uetz GW (1990b) Incorporation of urticating hairs into silk: a novel defense mechanism in two Neotropical tarantulas (Araneae, Theraphosidae). J Arachnol 18:143–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall SD, Thoms EM, Uetz GW (1995) Setal entanglement: an undescribed method of stridulation by a neotropical tarantula (Araneae: Theraphosidae). J Zool 235:587–595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendoza-Marroquín JI (2014) Psalmopoeus victori, primera araña terafósida arborícola descrita para México (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Aviculariinae). Rev Mex Biodivers 85:728–735

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moussian B (2013) The arthropod cuticle. In: Minelli A, Boxshall G, Fusco G (eds) Arthropod biology and evolution. Springer, Berlin, pp 171–196

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy JA, Platnick NJ (1981) On Liphistius desultor (Araneae, Liphistiidae). Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 170:46–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy JA, Roberts MJ (2015) Spider families of the world and their spinnerets. British Arachnological Society, York

    Google Scholar 

  • Niederegger S, Gorb SN (2006) Friction and adhesion in the tarsal and metatarsal scopulae of spiders. J Comp Physiol A 192:1223–1232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer JM (1990) Comparative morphology of the external silk production apparatus of “primitive” spiders. Thesis (unpublished), Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University, Harvard

    Google Scholar 

  • Perafán C, Pérez-Miles F (2010) An unusual setule on type IV urticating setae of Homoeomma uruguayense (Araneae: Theraphosidae). J Arachnol 38:153–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perafán C, Perez-Miles F (2014) Three new species of Melloleitaoina Gerschman & Schiapelli, 1960 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae) from northern Argentina. ZooKeys 404:117–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perafán C, Cifuentes Y, Estrada-Gomez S (2015) Aguapanela, a new tarantula genus from the Colombian Andes (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Zootaxa 4033:529–542

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perafán C, Galvis W, Gutiérrez M, Perez-Miles F (2016) Kankuamo, a new theraphosid genus from Colombia (Araneae, Mygalomorphae), with a new type of urticating setae and divergent male genitalia. ZooKeys 601:89–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F (1994) Tarsal scopula division in Theraphosinae (Araneae, Theraphosidae): its systematic significance. J Arachnol 22:46–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F (1998) Notes on the systematics of the little known theraphosid spider Hemirrhagus cervinus, with a description of a new type of urticating hair. J Arachnol 26:120–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F (2002) The occurrence of abdominal urticating hairs during development in Theraphosinae (Araneae, Theraphosidae): phylogenetic implications. J Arachnol 30:316–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Costa FG (1994) Acanthoscurria atrox incorporates urticating hairs into its shedding mat. Forum Am Tarantula Soc 3:63–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Montes de Oca L (2005) Surface ultrastructure of labial and maxillary cuspules in eight species of Theraphosidae (Araneae). J Arachnol 33:43–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Ortíz-Villatoro D (2012) Tarantulas do not shoot silk from their legs: experimental evidence in four species of New World tarantulas. J Exp Biol 215:1749–1752

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Prandi L (1991) El comportamiento de emision de pelos urticantes en Grammostola mollicoma (Aranae Theraphosidae) un analisis experimental. Bol Soc Zool Uruguay 2a época 6:47–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Lucas SM, da Silva PI Jr, Bertani R (1996) Systematic revision and cladistic analysis of Theraphosinae (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Mygalomorph 1:33–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Costa FG, Toscano-Gadea C, Mignone A (2005) Ecology and behaviour of the ‘road tarantulas’ Eupalaestrus weijenberghi and Acanthoscurria suina (Araneae, Theraphosidae) from Uruguay. J Nat Hist 39:483–498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Panzera A, Ortiz-Villatoro D, Perdomo C (2009) Silk production from tarantula feet questioned. Nature 461:E9–E10

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Perafán C, Santamaría L (2015) Tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae) use different adhesive pads complementarily during climbing on smooth surfaces: experimental approach in eight arboreal and burrower species. Biol Open 00:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Miles F, Guadanucci JPL, Jurgilas JP, Becco R, Perafán C (2017) Morphology and evolution of scopula, pseudoscopula and claw tufts in Mygalomorphae (Araneae). Zoomorphology 136:435–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pocock RI (1895) Musical boxes in spiders, vol 6. Natural Science, London, pp 44–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Quirici V, Costa FG (2005) Seismic communication during courtship in two burrowing tarantula spiders: an experimental study on Eupalaestrus weijenberghi and Acanthoscurria suina. J Arachnol 33:159–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez MJ (2014) The morphology and phylogeny of dionychan spiders (Araneae: Araneomorphae). Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 390:1–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raven RJ (1985) The spider infraorder Mygalomorphae (Araneae): cladistics and systematics. Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 182:1–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Reissland A, Görner P (1985) Trichobothria. In: Barth FG (ed) Neurobiology of arachnids. Springer, Berlin, pp 138–161

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rind FC, Birkett CL, Duncan BJA, Ranken AJ (2011) Tarantulas cling to smooth vertical surfaces by secreting silk from their feet. J Exp Biol 214:1874–1879

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rovner JS (1978) Adhesive hairs in spiders: behavioral functions and hydraulically mediated movement. Symp Zool Soc Lond 42:99–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon E (1892) Histoire naturelle des araignées, vol 1. Roret, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Townsend VR Jr, Felgenhauer BE (1998) Cuticular scales of spiders. Invertebr Biol 117:318–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Townsend VR Jr, Felgenhauer BE (1999) Ultrastructure of the cuticular scales of lynx spiders (Araneae, Oxyopidae) and jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae). J Morphol 240:77–92

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Townsend VR Jr, Felgenhauer BE (2001) Phylogenetic significance of the morphology of the cuticular scales of the lynx spiders (Araneae: Oxyopidae). J Zool 253:309–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uetz GW, Stratton GE (1982) Acoustic communication and reproductive isolation in spiders. In: Witt PN, Rovner JS (eds) Spider communication: mechanisms and ecological significance. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, pp 123–129

    Google Scholar 

  • West R, Marshall SD, Fukushima CS, Bertani R (2008) Review and cladistic analysis of the Neotropical tarantula genus Ephebopus Simon 1892 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) with notes on the Aviculariinae. Zootaxa 1849:35–58

    Google Scholar 

  • West RC, Nunn SC, Hogg S (2012) A new tarantula genus, Psednocnemis, from West Malaysia (Araneae: Theraphosidae), with cladistic analyses and biogeography of Selenocosmiinae Simon 1889. Zootaxa 3299:1–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2012) Comparative morphology of pretarsal scopulae in eleven spider families. Arthropod Struct Dev 41:419–433

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2013) Radial arrangement of Janus-like setae permits friction control in spiders. Sci Rep 3:1–7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolff JO, Nentwig W, Gorb SN (2013) The great silk alternative: multiple co-evolution of web loss and sticky hairs in spiders. PLoS One 8:1–13

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank CNPq (479377/2012-0—Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Tecnologia), CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), and FAPESP (2015/06406-4, 2017/11985-9—Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo). We are also thankful to all technical staff at the Laboratory of Electronic Microscopy (Mônika Iamonte, Antônio Yabuki and PhD. Odair Correa Bueno).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil

    José Paulo Leite Guadanucci, Arthur Galleti-Lima & Rafael Prezzi Indicatti

Authors
  1. José Paulo Leite Guadanucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arthur Galleti-Lima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rafael Prezzi Indicatti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias, Sección Entomología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Fernando Pérez-Miles

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Guadanucci, J.P.L., Galleti-Lima, A., Indicatti, R.P. (2020). Cuticular Structures of New World Tarantulas: Ultramorphology of Setae and Other Features. In: Pérez-Miles, F. (eds) New World Tarantulas. Zoological Monographs, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48644-0_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation