{"id":26,"date":"2017-01-19T23:31:02","date_gmt":"2017-01-19T23:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tarantulafriendly.com\/?p=26"},"modified":"2017-01-30T22:32:11","modified_gmt":"2017-01-30T22:32:11","slug":"tarantula-reproductive-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tarantulafriendly.com\/tarantula-reproductive-cycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Tarantula Reproductive Cycle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tarantula Reproduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arachnids, spiders in general differ in their mating techniques with mammals\u2019 life primates and humans. Once a male tarantula reaches a reproduction maturity, they seek out the females and this can seem as they are migrating. This is because, these spiders are mostly solitary creatures and the next available mate can be hundreds of meters away.<\/p>\n

Spiders have pedipalpi <\/em>which are two six segments appendages connected to the thorax<\/em>. The terminal part of the pedipalpi<\/em> of males functions as part of the reproductive system. The males have special spinnerets<\/em> (this are flexible tube-like structures from which the spiders spin exude their silk which hardens upon contact with air) around their genitals to which the sperm web is spun from. The males spin this web(silken) unto which they release the semen from the glands in their opistoma<\/em>. The sperm web platform is laid on the ground during this process. They insert the pedipalps<\/em> into the semen which absorbs it and keeps it viable for a period until a mate is found.<\/p>\n

Spiders exude chemicals when they are ready to mate and a male can tell off if the female is of its species by the chemicals it gives off. Males search for those females that have newly molted as they can be particularly aggressive after mating which can result in the death of the male. Careful selection enables not only a successful copulation but self-preservation.<\/p>\n

Upon finding a female though scent left by her substratum<\/em>, the male tests her receptiveness by tapping near her burrow entrance or web. The male will them carefully enter the burrow and meet up with the female. If the female is not ready, she will either pay no attention or attack him in which case the male will rapidly run away to prevent being the devoured as the next meal. If the female is ready for mating, she might not show interest upon which the male will have to perform a special mating ritual. He will lower his front and raise his abdomen. Having extended his forelegs and pedipalps<\/em> moving backward outside the burrow. This attracts the female and to keep the attraction going on, he stops from time to time moving his forelegs and pedipalps<\/em> from left to right shuddering his body.<\/p>\n