RTA

Pronunciation: /ar-tee-ay/

Category: Anatomy

Singular: RTA

Plural: RTAs

Definition

An abbreviation for 'Retrolateral Tibial Apophysis', a structural feature in the male pedipalp of spiders, specifically in the suborder of Araneomorphae, used during mating to grip the female.

Etymology

Composed of 'retro-' meaning 'backward', 'lateral' meaning 'to the side', 'tibial' referring to the tibia (a segment of the pedipalp), and 'apophysis' meaning 'a bony outgrowth'.

Example

The presence of an RTA in the spider's pedipalp is a key identifying characteristic of many male Araneomorph spiders.

Synonyms

Tibial apophysis

Related Terms

Pedipalp
Araneomorphae
Apophysis
Mating

Usage Notes

RTAs are used as diagnostic features in spider taxonomy and are crucial for species identification in certain spider families.