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'...

Feeding behaviour of two buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from the central Sahara of Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

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Feeding behaviour of two buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from the central Sahara of Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

Abstract

Scorpions are predatory arthropods known for their hunting prowess and adaptability in various environments, but studies on the food preference of many species remain rare. The aim of this paper is to study the intra- and inter-guild feeding behaviour and food preference of two of the most abundant buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828: A. amoreuxi (Audouin, 1825) and A. australis (Linnaeus, 1758), in the Algerian Sahara. Food preference was experimentally assessed using several locally widely available species: the larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (laboratory breeding), Pimelia angulata Fabricius, 1775, Gomphocerinae sp., Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758). For each prey species, we calculated the prey acceptance time (PAT), number of stings (NS), voracity time (VT), and the rate of consumption (RC). Our results show that T. molitor was the most preferred prey species, though the fixation and attack time for the prey P. angulata was significantly longer compared to other species. Additionally, A. amoreuxi exhibited higher voracity, while A. australis displayed a shorter feeding duration. The prey species P. americana, Gomphocerinae sp. and M. religiosa were moderately appreciated by the two scorpions. Moreover, the intra-guild predation and cannibalism results show that A. amoreuxi was more aggressive, while A. australis was faster.

Zouatine, O., Bissati, S., Chebout, A., Chedad, A., Sadine, S.E. 2024. Feeding behaviour of two buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from the central Sahara of Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Zoology and Ecology 34(2), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.35513/21658005.2024.2.6