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'...

Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet, 1849) (Araneae, Sicariidae) en Ciudad de Guatemala

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Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet, 1849) (Araneae, Sicariidae) en Ciudad de Guatemala

Abstract

In the Guatemalan context, the limited published reports of loxoscelism do not specify the species involved in incidents, highlighting the need to determine the species that inhabit the country. This study involved the hand capture of thirteen live individuals of the genus Loxosceles at the Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia of Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala during April 2024. Four male and nine female individuals of Loxosceles laeta were identified, marking the first synanthropic report of this species in Guatemala. The identification of Loxosceles spiders is crucial for the wellbeing of individuals who suffer bites from these spiders, as it enables the provision of appropriate treatment.

Medina Arellano, Diego. (2024). Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet, 1849) (Araneae, Sicarridae) en Ciudad de Guatemala. Revista Científica del Sistema de Estudios de Postgrado de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. 7. 199-208. 10.36958/sep.v7i2.301.