# Wolf Spider Hermaphrodite



## jsloan (May 6, 2011)

Here's a spider I never thought I'd ever find.  This adult _Trochosa terricola_ turned up in one of my pitfall traps yesterday.  It is male on the right side and female on the left side, split half and half right down the middle!

It has what appears to be half an epigyne, on the female side, while the right palp appears to be that of an adult male. In addition, the left/female chelicera is longer and more robust than the right/male chelicera; and, the right/male legs I and II appear to be longer and darker in some segments than their female counterparts (see the ventral view).


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## sygdom (May 6, 2011)

Wow! That is an amazing find.


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## What (May 6, 2011)

Gynandromorphs are always fun to see, not often that true spiders are seen like this... At least this is the first one I have seen.


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## xhexdx (May 6, 2011)

Ditto, I saw the pics of the Pokie that Phalagorn documented.


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## jsloan (May 7, 2011)

I've got a few more pictures posted at BugGuide, along with links to a couple of papers I Googled earlier this evening:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/512530


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## Silberrücken (May 7, 2011)

That is absolutely amazing!!!! Great find, jsloan! I had heard of these, and I find this quite fascinating.

Thank you for sharing this great find!

I have to admit, that is just about the strangest thing I have ever seen...

yet totally awesome!

S.


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## Zoltan (May 7, 2011)

jsloan said:


> I've got a few more pictures posted at BugGuide, along with links to a couple of papers I Googled earlier this evening:
> 
> http://bugguide.net/node/view/512530


This is another good paper on the subject:

Exline, H. 1928. Gynandromorph spiders. _Journal of Morphology_ *63* (3): 441–475. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.1050630303

I have a PDF if anyone needs it.


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## TM-Dubz (May 7, 2011)

Wow! That's amazing. Thanks for sharing.


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## The Spider Faery (May 7, 2011)

I wonder how rare hermaphroditism is in spiders?  Great eye for noticing that anomoly, jsloan.


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## Crysta (May 8, 2011)

wowy jsloan! great pictures and find! (havnt seen you posting in a awhile either!)

I need to spider hunt with you someday hehe!


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## ZergFront (May 9, 2011)

What a neat find! Too bad most are infertile. I would be interested to know what this specimen would prefer; a male spider or a female? :?


http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=60259

 I would love the pdf of this topic. Genetics fanscinate me.


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