A histopathological guide for the social spider Stegodyphus dumicola

The study of invertebrate pathology relies on histopathological tools to define visible internal structures and
processes in understudied taxa like spiders. Histopathology involves the infiltration of tissues and organ structures
with wax or resin, allowing for the visualisation of cellular anatomy and morphological structure, which
can lead to the identification of abnormalities (e.g., pathology) and symbioses (e.g., parasites). In this study,
southern African social spiders Stegodyphus dumicola (Araneae: Eresidae) were histologically prepared whole
and their tissue appearances described (eyes, stomach, heart, ovaries, cuticle, stercoral pocket, chelicerae, book
lungs, and silk gland). In addition to healthy tissues, an intranuclear, baculovirus-like pathology was identified.
The availability of this material and whole-preparation method makes for a valuable histological resource, where
few such resources currently exist for spiders.