Fine Structure of the Cutaneous Pigments in the Black Widow Spider, Latrodectus mactans

검은과부거미 (Latrodectus mactans) 피부 색소의 미세구조에 관한 연구

Fine structure of the cutaneous pigments in the black widow spider, Latrodectus mactans are studied with light and electron microscopes. The cutaneous pigments are only observed in epidermal layer just beneath the cuticle. These pigments are compactly distributed around the spinnerets which located at caudal area of the abdomen. According to the fine structural characteristics of the pigment granules, two main types of guanine pigment granules-carotenoid vesicles and reflecting platelets - are observed in the cytoplasm of the epidermal cells. Morphological features of these pigment granules are characterized as the electron dense carotenoid vesicles and the electron lucent reflecting platelets. Marginal electron density of the carotenoid vesicle is different from that of internal region, whereas the reflecting platelets have laminated crystalline granules. Typiral structures of these pigment granules are very similar to those of invertebrate's chromatophores, especially erythrophores and iridophores. Moreover differentiation of these pigment granules are also originated from the small vesicles of Golgi complexes similarly to those of cutaneous chromatophores.