2010/04/19 by Anita Aisenberg, Fernando Guilherme Perazzo Costa, Macarena González +2 · 2 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Neuroscience · #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
paper · doi:10.1080/00222931003632716
openalex publication_date 2010/04/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Allocosa alticeps and Allocosa brasiliensis are two sex-role-reversed spiders. Females locate males and initiate courtship. Copulation occurs inside male burrows and after copulation the males deliver their burrows to the females. We explored the occurrence of differences in morphological traits related to sex roles in both Allocosa species and compared the results with two non-burrowing wolf spiders with typical sex roles. We measured the length of the foreleg's tibia-patella and the chelicerae. Scanning electron micrographs of palpal tarsus distal sections were taken. Males showed higher values than females in all the traits considered. Adult and penultimate males lacked true claws compared with juveniles and females, but showed modified spines. The palpal organ was more proximal to the tibia compared with the non-burrowing lycosids considered in this study. Spines and palpal organ location could be associated with more effective digging. We discuss how natural and sexual selection could interact on morphology in this scenario.