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Pedipalps are a pair of "feelers" on a spider's face. They are
sometimes abbreviated to just palp (plural palpi).
Pedipals are often used once maturity is achieved in male spiders (especially the genus Lactrodectus). Before male spiders
trek off to find a potential mate, they discharge sperm through an opening onto sperm
webs (Discovery Books, 2000). Afterwards, the sperm is injected into spermaphors within the enlarged tips of their palps, where
upon finding a suitable mate, injects said spermaphors in the female’s epigynum or genital opening, by which the stored
sperm is released in (Discovery Books, 2000).
Sources
- Discovery Books; 2000; Insects and Spiders; St. Remy Media Inc.; New York; 35
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