Ornata sling suspected male

[Logan D]

 

[Arachnoclown]

Looks like a boy

 

[Whitelightning777]

Looks just like my male P striata. I can see the spinnerets that produce the sperm webs.

 

[sdsnybny]

Looks just like my male P striata. I can see the spinnerets that produce the sperm webs.

So your saying that spinnerets can determine the sex of a tarantula?? Please do explain with references!

 

[Arachnoclown]

 

[Whitelightning777]

The spinnerets between the rear most legs, the ones in pairs create the sperm web. Females don't have these.

See the straight line between the rear legs? Where it spreads out just starts to do so, those 2 black dots are sperm web spinnerettes.

 

[Nunua]

The spinnerets between the rear most legs, the ones in pairs create the sperm web. Females don't have these.

Well, actually those are spigots of the epigastric silk glands.

 

[Arachnoclown]

The spinnerets between the rear most legs, the ones in pairs create the sperm web. Females don't have these.


View attachment 34162

See the straight line between the rear legs? Where it spreads out just starts to do so, those 2 black dots are sperm web spinnerettes.

Epigastric glands do not create sperm webs. Its function is still unknown but it is believed to secret a small amount of liqiud silk to aid the sperm to stick to the web. A males actual spinerets create the sperm web.

 

[sdsnybny]

Epigastric glands do not create sperm webs. Its function is still unknown but it is believed to secret a small amount of liqiud silk to aid the sperm to stick to the web. A males actual spinerets create the sperm web.

This article carries good info on the subject.
How to Determine the Sex of Your Tarantula: Rick C West - Birdspiders.com

 

[Dave Jay]

This article carries good info on the subject.
How to Determine the Sex of Your Tarantula: Rick C West - Birdspiders.com

I just read through that, great info if it has indeed stood the test of time, as I assume it has. I'm not going to pick up my spiders to practice but photos will be useful I hope, until now I assumed that slings could not be reliably sexed.
Thanks for the link, I don't know why I hadn't come across this before, I've been asked for ventral pics but "give a man a fish...".

 

[Whitelightning777]

Epigastric glands do not create sperm webs. Its function is still unknown but it is believed to secret a small amount of liqiud silk to aid the sperm to stick to the web. A males actual spinerets create the sperm web.

Oh, ok. I stand corrected.