Damon Spermatophore

[LaurynSS]

We've got three right now living communal. I found this:

which I know is a spermatophore. Anyway of knowing if has been used already? I'm not sure on sexing these, but comparing the end of the abdomens, I'm guessing we have two males and one female.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

I'm pretty sure you sex them by the size of the pedipalps -- males are ridiculously long compared to the females.

Edit: found a picture with a male next to a female.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=996250&postcount=9

The male's on the bottom. While the pedipalps aren't ridiculously long, they're proportionately longer than the females when compared to the overall body size.

 

[lucanidae]

It's hard to tell from that angle if it has been used. When used; from above they look like a ring without a stone set in it, a few prongs holding where something should of been but is no longer. Sometimes they don't get completely taken up which might be why yours looks weird. Usually, they sperm itself doesn't get left and you rarely see it unused as the male drops it and pulls the female over top of it as quickly as possible. If you disturb them mid process you'll see a full one.