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Spinneret

 
Spinneret

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Spinneret



 
 
A spinneret is a spider's
Spider

Spiders are air-breathing chelicerate arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae modified into fangs that inject venom. In their bodies the usual arthropod segments are fused into two Tagma , the cephalothorax and abdomen, joined by a small, cylindrical pedicel....
 silk
Spider silk

Spider silk, also known as gossamer, is a protein fiber spun by spiders. Spiders use their silk to make webs or other structures, which function as nets to catch other creatures, or as nests or cocoons for protection for their offspring....
-spinning organ
Organ (anatomy)

In biology, an organ is a biological tissue that performs a specific function or group of functions. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues....
. It is usually on the underside of a spider's abdomen
Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity....
, to the rear. Most spiders have six spinnerets; some have four or two. They move independently and in concert to build webs
Spider web

File:Garden orbweaver with prey.jpgA spider web, spiderweb, spider's web or cobweb is a device built by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets....
.

The discovery of spinnerets on the feet of the Aphonopelma
Aphonopelma

Aphonopelma is a genus of tarantulas including nearly all of the North American tarantulas north of Mexico and a considerable part of the tarantulas which range into Central America....
 seemanni
has led to questions about the origins of spinnerets.






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Araneus Diadematus Underside 1
A spinneret is a spider's
Spider

Spiders are air-breathing chelicerate arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae modified into fangs that inject venom. In their bodies the usual arthropod segments are fused into two Tagma , the cephalothorax and abdomen, joined by a small, cylindrical pedicel....
 silk
Spider silk

Spider silk, also known as gossamer, is a protein fiber spun by spiders. Spiders use their silk to make webs or other structures, which function as nets to catch other creatures, or as nests or cocoons for protection for their offspring....
-spinning organ
Organ (anatomy)

In biology, an organ is a biological tissue that performs a specific function or group of functions. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues....
. It is usually on the underside of a spider's abdomen
Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity....
, to the rear. Most spiders have six spinnerets; some have four or two. They move independently and in concert to build webs
Spider web

File:Garden orbweaver with prey.jpgA spider web, spiderweb, spider's web or cobweb is a device built by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets....
.

The discovery of spinnerets on the feet of the Aphonopelma
Aphonopelma

Aphonopelma is a genus of tarantulas including nearly all of the North American tarantulas north of Mexico and a considerable part of the tarantulas which range into Central America....
 seemanni
has led to questions about the origins of spinnerets. It has been hypothesised that spinnerets were originally used as climbing aids on the feet and evolved for webmaking at a later time.

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