Effect of Insemination on the Morphology of the Internal Female Genitalia of the Spider Nephila clavipes (Araneae: Araneidae)

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Abstract
In Nephila clavipes (L.), the spermathecae in the female change shape at the time of copulation. Virgin females have spermathecae of distinctly different shape from females mated within 48 h of the final molt, and the degree of sclerotization of the spermathecae is affected by mating. Mating half-castrated males to virgin females resulted in half-mated females with distinct virgin and mated spermathecae. These spiders show a wide range of spermathecal shape, due in part to the effect of copulation; one year's collection of mature females revealed 8.6% with virgin-type spermathecae. These females can mate and use sperm. These results suggest that in this species, and perhaps in other spiders, the shape and degree of sclerotization of the spermathecae are environmentally determined, which warrants caution in the use of spermathecal morphologies as taxonomic characters.