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.