Complex genital system of a haplogyne spider (Arachnida, Araneae, Tetrablemmidae) indicates internal fertilization and full female control over transferred sperm

The female genital organs of the tetrablemmid Indicoblemma lannaianum are astonishingly complex. The copulatory orifice lies anterior to the opening of the uterus externus and leads into a narrow insertion duct that ends in a genital cavity. The genital cavity continues laterally in paired tube-like copulatory ducts, which lead into paired, large, sac-like receptacula. Each receptaculum has a sclerotized pore plate with associated gland cells. Paired small fertilization ducts originate in the receptacula and take their curved course inside the copulatory ducts. The fertilization ducts end in slit-like openings in the sclerotized posterior walls of the copulatory ducts. Huge masses of secretions forming large balls are detectable in the female receptacula. An important function of these secretory balls seems to be the encapsulation of spermatozoa in discrete packages in order to avoid the mixing of sperm from different males. In this way, sperm competition may be completely prevented or at least severely limited. Females seem to have full control over transferred sperm and be able to express preference for spermatozoa of certain males. The lumen of the sperm containing secretory balls is connected with the fertilization duct. Activated spermatozoa are only found in the uterus internus of females, which is an indication of internal fertilization. The sperm cells in the uterus internus are characterized by an extensive cytoplasm and an elongated, cone-shaped nucleus. The male genital system of I. lannaianum consists of thick testes and thin convoluted vasa deferentia that open into the wide ductus ejaculatorius. The voluminous globular palpal bulb is filled with seminal fluid consisting of a globular secretion in which only a few spermatozoa are embedded. The spermatozoa are encapsulated by a sheath produced in the genital system. The secretions in females may at least partly consist of male secretions that could be involved in the building of the secretory balls or play a role in sperm activation. The male secretions could also afford nutriments to the spermatozoa.

The new Australasian goblin spider genus Prethopalpus (Araneae, Oonopidae)

The new goblin spider genus Prethopalpus is restricted to the Australasian tropics, from the lower Himalayan Mountains in Nepal and India to the Malaysian Peninsula, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Prethopalpus contains those species with a swollen palpal patella, which is one to two times the size of the femur, together with a cymbium and bulb that is usually separated, although it is largely fused in four species. The type species Opopaea fosuma Burger et al. from Sumatra, and Camptoscaphiella infernalis Harvey and Edward from Western Australia are newly transferred to Prethopalpus. The genus consists of 41 species of which 39 are newly described: P. ilam Baehr (♂, ♀) from Nepal; P. khasi Baehr (♂), P. madurai Baehr (♂), P. mahanadi Baehr (♂, ♀), and P. meghalaya Baehr (♂, ♀) from India; P. bali Baehr (♂), P. bellicosus Baehr and Thoma (♂, ♀), P. brunei Baehr (♂, ♀), P. deelemanae Baehr and Thoma (♂), P. java Baehr (♂, ♀), P. kranzae Baehr (♂), P. kropfi Baehr (♂, ♀), P. leuser Baehr (♂, ♀), P. magnocularis Baehr and Thoma (♂), P. pahang Baehr (♂), P. perak Baehr (♂, ♀), P. sabah Baehr (♂, ♀), P. sarawak Baehr (♂), P. schwendingeri Baehr (♂, ♀), and P. utara Baehr (♂, ♀) from Indonesia and Malaysia; and P. alexanderi Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. attenboroughi Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. blosfeldsorum Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. boltoni Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. callani Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. cooperi Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. eberhardi Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. framenaui Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. humphreysi Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. kintyre Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. scanloni Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. pearsoni Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. julianneae Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. maini Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. marionae Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. platnicki Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀), P. oneillae Baehr and Harvey (♂), P. rawlinsoni Baehr and Harvey (♂), and P. tropicus Baehr and Harvey (♂, ♀) from Australia and Papua New Guinea. Three separate keys to species from different geographical regions are provided. Most species are recorded from single locations and only three species are more widely distributed. A significant radiation of blind troglobites comprising 14 species living in subterranean ecosystems in Western Australia is discussed. These include several species that lack abdominal scuta, a feature previously used to define subfamilies of Oonopidae.