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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynes » Lynx Spiders (Oxyopidae) » Oxyopes » Striped Lynx  (Oxyopes salticus)
Photo#44855
Sperm web - Oxyopes salticus - male
Copyright © 2006 Jeff Hollenbeck

Sperm web - Oxyopes salticus - Male
St. Lucie County, Florida, USA
March 12, 2006
Size: BL 5mm
A mediocre example of an Oxyopes salticus sperm web.
Adult male spiders usually construct sperm webs within several days of their final molt, and sometimes after one or more inseminations.
In this example, the male lynx copulated at least several hours earlier.

The sperm web in this image consists of two parallel strands of silk with a small, weak silk sheet between the two strands (one half of the sperm web is visible in this image).
After building the web, the male lynx deposits a small drop of sperm on the sheet portion of the sperm web from a small opening (the epigastric furrow) on the underside of his abdomen.
Next the male transfers the drop to the palpal organs as seen above (left palp). The male alternates between palps, about one minute per palp, with numerous alternations until the sperm has been absorbed.

Images of this individual: tag all
Oxyopes salticus - male Oxyopes salticus - male Oxyopes salticus - male Sperm web - Oxyopes salticus - male Sperm web - Oxyopes salticus - male
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Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck on 13 March, 2006 - 5:57pm
Last updated 25 April, 2006 - 8:11pm

Very interesting.
Do they only do this if there is a female in the area?
… Lynette Schimming, 14 March, 2006 - 5:15am login or register to post comments

 
No,
a female does not need to be present. Generally, all adult male spiders build sperm webs, although there are always exceptions, such as hybrids and adult males that are infertile for other reasons.

This specimen is housed with the female from the other images you commented on several weeks ago, which led me to believe he recently mated. I have witnessed males of other spider species refill their palps within several hours of mating as well.
… Jeff Hollenbeck, 14 March, 2006 - 4:03pm login or register to post comments

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