A Remarkable Discovery: Exploring a Rare Eresus and Spider Wasp Interaction

Posted by
  Photo Credit: © Antonino Rametta . All photographs are used with permission. No part of these images may be reproduced, distributed, or used in any form without the prior written permission of the photographer. A Remarkable Discovery: Exploring a Rare Eresus and Spider Wasp Interaction One of the most rewarding aspects of maintaining Arácnido Taxonomy is hearing from naturalists and photographers around the world who take the time to share their discoveries. Every so often, an email arrives that immediately captures your attention. Not because it claims to rewrite what we know about biodiversity, but because it documents something that very few people have the opportunity to witness. Recently, I was contacted by a naturalist in Sicily who shared a series of exceptionally high-quality photographs of a female ladybird spider ( Eresus ) during what appeared to be an interaction with a spider wasp. Along with the images came a simple question: "Could this be scientifically import...

Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus

Posted by

 


Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus

Abstract

Sexual selection is often studied with a focus on female mate choice, wherein females evaluate male signals to select an optimal mate. However, in some systems, males should also make careful decisions about the females they choose to court, particularly when faced with the risk of precopulatory sexual cannibalism. Here, we explore the idea that male jumping spiders (Habronattus brunneus) may mitigate this risk by responding to female cues probably associated with female aggression and/or receptivity. We tested mature male spiders’ ability to discriminate between substrate-borne cues (i.e. silk and excreta) produced by conspecific females of different ages and mating statuses. We found that males spent more time exploring cues produced by mature, non-mated females compared with either immature females or mated females. Heightened interest in cues produced by females that are sexually mature but not yet mated may allow males to reduce cannibalism risk, reduce wasted courtship effort and increase their reproductive success. The use of chemical and/or tactile cues in jumping spider courtship behaviour has been vastly understudied compared with the ways they use vision; this study provides the groundwork for understanding how these sensory modalities interact.


Humbel Ellen, Kimball Rebecca and Taylor Lisa A. 2024Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneusR. Soc. Open Sci.11240658 

http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240658