Cyrtophora moluccensis

Palmgren, P., 1980, Some comments on the anatomy of spiders, Ann. Zool. Fennici 17, pp. 161-173 : 163-164

Cyrtophora moluccensis

Cyrtophora moluccensis (Figs. 10-13) possesses a lateral muscle (Ml) consisting of unusually bulky muscular lobes. The tergo-coxal musculature of leg IV is very powerful, especially the posteriormost of the median muscles (c 3, the "posterior levator"; the m.plagulo-tergalis (fit) is also very bulky. Of the cheliceral muscles, m. lateralis anterior (la) is represented by two distinct muscles, a not uncommon variation; the m. antero-medialis verticalis (av) is very weak, as is also the m.medialis pro-descendens (fid), but the m. retro-descendens (rd) is unusually strong. The tips of the poison glands and the dorsal caecum do not overlap.

The caecal branches to the legs have a very typical araneid structure: they enter the coxae near the dorsal margin of the aperture, run downwards to the bottom of the coxae and bend under the ventral ganglion mass (cf. Millot). At the top of the coxa a small diverticulum protrudes along the axis of the coxa.

Figs. 10-13. Cyrtophora moluccemis . - 10: left rim of sternum. - 11: superficial muscles. - 12: coxa I, superficial and deep muscles. - 13: deeper muscles (from pedipalp backwards), only basal rim of coxa I preserved.