GENITAL MORPHOLOGY AND SPERM STORAGE IN PHOLCUS-PHALANGIOIDES (FUESSLIN, 1775) (PHOLCIDAE, ARANEAE)

The genital morphology of female Pholcus phalangioides is examined to clarify the composition of the uterus externus and the place of sperm storage in this species. Two conspicuous pore plates serve as exits for glandular secretion that gets discharged into the uterus externus. The secretion accumulates close to the pore plates and to some extent in the region of the heavily sclerotized valve that separates the uterus externus from the uterus internus. During copulation, the male transfers spermatozoa and male secretions into the female genital tract where they are embedded and stored in the female secretion. As Ph. phalangioides does not possess any separate sperm storage organs such as receptacula seminis, the glandular secretion serves to store and fix the sperm mass in a specific position within the uterus externus itself.