The largest fossil of the segmented spider Parvithele muelleri Wunderlich, 2017 (Mesothelae: Parvithelidae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber

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  The largest fossil of the segmented spider Parvithele muelleri Wunderlich, 2017 (Mesothelae: Parvithelidae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber Abstract A new specimen of the fossil spider Parvithele muelleri Wunderlich, 2017 (Araneae: Mesothelae) is described from the mid-Cretaceous (ca. 99 Ma) Burmese amber of Myanmar. Like the original holotype, the new specimen is a mature male, which clearly preserves a series of tibial macrospines, similar to the condition in the extant genus Liphistius Schiødte, 1849. Given that the single extant mesothele family, Liphistiidae, is predicted to have radiated ca. 39–58 million years ago, the occurrence of somewhat modern-looking male pedipalp spination in older fossil mesotheles is of considerable interest. The new specimen also shows spinnerets in a relatively posterior position, although variability observed in extant species suggests that this trait may be of limited systematic value. Of particular note is the presence of a large and well-dev...

Comparing Nutrient Intake by Wolf Spiders (Hogna carolinensis) Consuming Frogs (Acris blanchardi) and Crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus)

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Comparing Nutrient Intake by Wolf Spiders (Hogna carolinensis) Consuming Frogs (Acris blanchardi) and Crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus)

ABSTRACT

Herbivores and omnivores have been shown to regulate their intake of nutrients to a balance that maximizes fitness. Predators were traditionally believed to have less need for dietary regulation than herbivores, given the higher nutritional quality of animal tissue compared to plants. However, some predators, like spiders, may feed on diverse prey that could vary substantially in nutrient content and, hence, their potential quality as food items. This study compared the nutrient intake of Carolina wolf spiders (Hogna carolinensis ) when they fed on cricket frogs (Acris blanchardi) and crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus ). In diet trials, spiders were fasted prior to being offered a frog or cricket for consumption. Then, prey remains and nonconsumed (control) frog and cricket samples were analyzed for lipid, lean tissue, and elemental content. Results show that frogs and crickets vary substantially in the nutrients that they provide to spiders. Frogs offer less lipids but more lean tissue compared to crickets. Additionally, spiders consumed a greater mass of micronutrients when feeding on frogs compared to crickets. While some evidence suggests that lipids may be limited for some spider species, frogs may still be beneficial to spiders' diets because they offer an abundance of lean tissue. Future research should examine how environmental and physiological factors influence the nutritional quality of prey for predators.

Hunsucker, C. G., Herzog, C., Reeves, J. T., Wilder, S. M., & McMurry, S. T. (2025). Comparing Nutrient Intake by Wolf Spiders (Hogna carolinensis) Consuming Frogs (Acris blanchardi) and Crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus). Ecology and Evolution, 15(3), e71045. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71045 or https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.71045