Money Spider - Hypomma bituberculatum (male)

Home · Search · Register

Home » Invertebrates Gallery » Spider Photographs		Photo Options

Money Spider - Hypomma bituberculatum (male)

View Forum Posts That Include This Image

Photo Details
Bruce Williams Commander of the Wild Empire Registered: January 2007 Location: South Northants Posts: 3,291	Stony Stratford, Bucks. Tunnel wall (metal) under A5. . See related forum thread: http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...rret-eyes.html .
	· Date: Sun June 20, 2010 · Views: 423 · Filesize: 266.0kb · Dimensions: 820 x 820 ·
	Additional Info
	Keywords: Money Spider Hypomma bituberculatum Linyphiid Linyphiidae
	Camera Information: Nikon D300 + Nikon 105mm Macro VR
	Forum Code:
	Linked Image:

Author

Thread

Bruce Williams

Commander of the Wild Empire

Registered: January 2007
Location: South Northants
Posts: 3,291

Mon June 21, 2010 7:19am

I came across some interesting information about the strange looking lobes on top of the males head. Apparently they are used in mating. The male approaches the female head-on, encouraging her to lunge at him. If/when she does he makes no attempt to avoid her but instead allows her to raise up and grab the turret shaped lubes on the top of his head with her chelicerae. The lobes are especially shaped (grooved at the base) to accommodate her fangs without injuring him. This puts them in a position where they are face to face with her raised above his head. This allows him to mate with her by inserting each of his palps (in turn) into her epgigynal opening.

Bruce

Click here to Send this user a Private Message

All times are GMT. The time now is 04:03 PM.


Register	Members	Rules	Search	Help

Wild About Britain