A morphological study on the venom apparatus of spider Larinioides cornustus (Araneae, Araneidae)

The morphological structure of the venom apparatus of Larinioides cornutus was studied using a scanning electron microscope(SEM). The Venom glands are situated in the anterior cephalic part of the prosoma, and each gland consists of a long cylindrical part and an adjoining duct, which terminates at the tip of the cheliceral fang. Each chelicera consists of 2 parts: a stout basal part covered by hair, and a movable fang. There are parallel grooves on the dorsal surface of the fang. The ventral surface has hollows like saw teeth. A venom pore is situated on the subterminal part of the fang. Below the fang, there is a cheliceral groove between the teeth. Each side of the groove is armed with cuticular teeth. Venom glands are small and similar to an aurbergine in shape. Each gland is surrounded by completely striated muscular fibers. The venom produced in the venom glands is ejected into the fang through the duct by contraction of these muscular fibers. © TÜBİTAK