The hydraulic interaction between prosoma and opisthosoma in Amaurobius ferox (Chelicerata, Araneae)
✍ Scribed by Wilson, R. S. ;Bullock, J.
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1973
- Weight
- 486 KB
- Volume
- 74
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0044-3131
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✦ Synopsis
Experiments are described which demonstrate that blood moves from the prosoma into the opisthosoma in Amaurobius ]erox when the spider is held on a plasticine block and is stimulated with a small brush. This movement of blood is also seen during bouts of struggling when the spider is trying to free itself. The return flow of blood from the opisthosoma is to a large extent due to the pumping action of the heart.
It is proposed that the locomotory exhaustion shown by artificially stimulated spiders is due to this loss of blood from the prosoma which leads not only to hydraulic insufficiency, but also to a lack of oxygen through interruption of the normal blood flow.