Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider

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  Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider ABSTRACT Sex differences in behavior and functional traits are often attributed to differences in mating effort intensity, but the role of sex-specific parental demands remains poorly understood. Using the jumping spider Toxeus maxillosus —where males engage in mate searching and courtship without providing parental care, while females provide extended maternal care from egg attendance to offspring maturity (around 3 months)—we conducted an exploratory investigation into whether these distinct selective pressures led to divergence in spatial behaviors and nest architecture. Results revealed that males and females showed equivalent accuracy, latency, and learning-related performance in both a route-planning test under water stress and a color-pattern associative memory task. In contrast, during nest-construction assays, females built complex, multi-entrance structures that closely matched the container'...

A master in disguise? The rediscovery of Misumena bicolor Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae)

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A master in disguise? The rediscovery of Misumena bicolor Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae)

Abstract

Misumena bicolor Simon, 1875, an enigmatic species known only from the male holotype collected on Corsica (France), has remained elusive since its initial description. In this study, we report new occurrences of M. bicolor from Sardinia (Italy) and Bavaria (Germany) based on male material, considerably expanding its known distribution. Employing an integrative taxonomic approach encompassing both morphological and COI (barcode) analyses, we confirm M. bicolor as a valid species. As the male of M. bicolor apparently has a distinct coloration, we complement the known distributional data with possible sightings of photographic observations from various naturalist portals and hereby provide additional evidence for the establishment of the species on the French mainland and in Germany.

Bach, A., Lauterbach, S., Astrin, J. J., Thorns, H.-J. & Bauer, T. (2024). A master in disguise? The rediscovery of Misumena bicolor Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae). Zootaxa 5529(1): 175-185. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5529.1.9