The Role of Spinneret Glands and Specific Features of Silk Production in Tarantulas (Araneae: Mygalomorphae)

This bachelor thesis is a review of scientific papers, monographs and internet sources, which focus mainly on the spinning apparatus and silk production in Mygalomorphae. The thesis is enriched with pictures that could help the reader to better navigate the topic. Spiders belong to arthropods. They are divided into the infraorders Araneomorphae, Mesothelae and Mygalomorphae. Spiders have a body divided into a cephalothorax and an opisthosoma, connected by a pedicel. The digestive system of spiders is specific in that it only allows them to take in liquid food. Almost all spiders have developed venom glands. Spinning activity is a very important feature of spiders. An important part of the spinning apparatus in the spinning nipples varies from family to family, but usually there is a reduction in their number. The basic functional and structural units of the spinning apparatus are the spinning glands, which transform on the surface of the spinning nipples into spigots, through which the silk is expelled to the surface. The silk is used by spiders to form snare or to form protective egg cases- cocoons. In the Czech Republic we can see three species of the family Atypidae (genus Atypus): Atypus affinis, Atypus piceus and Atypus muralis. KEYWORDS Spiders, silk glands, spigot, spidroin, family Atypidae,..