THE SPERMATOZOA OF THE ONE-PALPED SPIDER TIDARREN ARGO (ARANEAE, THERIDIIDAE)

The species of the genus Tidarren are known for their one-palped males and outstanding copulatory behavior. In our ultrastructural observations of T. argo Knoflach & van Harten 2001, we show that this species possesses highly specific spermatozoa which differ from those found in other spiders: The nucleus of the sperm cell is strongly elongated and characterized by a conspicuous implantation fossa. The basis of the axoneme is located close to the acrosomal complex. The axoneme starts in front of the implantation fossa which extends deeply into the postcentriolar elongation. The implantation fossa is filled with dense staining globules and granules as in other theridiid species. Apart from these peculiarities, in T. argo the proximal centriole is located extraordinarily far away from the distal one. The encapsulated cleistospermia are surrounded by a thin secretion sheath. Remarkably, mature spermatozoa are not densely packed, but embedded in a copious secretion.