207 Spi 



Spherulate. — Having one or more rows of minute 

 tubercles. (Gr. sphaira, a ball.) 



Sphincter. — A more or less circular muscle which 

 opens and shuts any orifice round which it is 

 placed. (Gr. sj)hingjcter, that which binds 

 tight.) 



Spicula. — The sting darts, (L. sting.) 



Spine. — A fine, long, rigid, pointed process. (L. 

 spina, a thorn.) 



Spinneret. — (Larva). A tube-like organ obliquely 

 truncated at its apex arising from the anterior 

 portion of the labium, and composed of several 

 alternately corneous and membranous slips. 

 It is through this tube that a clammy liquid 

 passes, which has been secreted by two granular 

 organs for the preparation of the silk which can 

 be spun into thicker or thinner filaments at the 

 will of the larva, by the power it possesses of 

 distending or contracting the cavity of the tube. 

 Some larvte such as those of some Coleoptera 

 and Dictyotoptera, do not possess this organ, 

 but do possess an aparatus for spinning at the 

 anus. (A.S. spinnan, to draw out threads, to 

 spin.) 



Spinnerets. — (Coccida;.) — Organs concerned in the 

 emission of matter of which the puparia and 

 ovisacs are composed. (Newstead.) (A.S. 

 spinnan.) 



Spinnerettes. - The spinning organs of Araneina 

 (Spiders). They are four to six fairly large 

 processes situated below the anus and beset with 



