scholarly journals An arachnid′s guide to be an ant: morphological and behavioural mimicry in ant-mimicking spiders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nimish Subramaniam ◽  
Krishnapriya Tamma ◽  
Divya Uma
Keyword(s):  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Body Plan ◽  
Batesian Mimicry ◽  
Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽  
Weaver Ants ◽  
Jumping Spiders ◽  
Arthropod Species ◽  
Sensory Modalities ◽  
And Behavior

Batesian mimicry imposes several challenges to mimics and evokes adaptations in multiple sensory modalities. Myrmecomorphy, morphological and behavioral resemblance to ants, is seen in over 2000 arthropod species. Ant-like resemblance is observed in at least 13 spider families despite spiders having a distinct body plan compared to ants. Quantifying the extent to which spider's shape, size, and behavior resemble model ants will allow us to comprehend the evolutionary pressures that have facilitated myrmecomorphy. Myrmaplata plataleoides are 'accurate' mimics of the weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina. In this study, we quantify the speed of movement of model, mimic, and non-mimetic jumping spiders. We use traditional and geometric morphometrics to quantify traits such as foreleg and hindleg size, body shape between the model ant, mimic, and non-mimics. Our results suggest that while the mimics closely resemble the model ants in speed of movement, they occupy an intermediate morphological space compared to the model ants and non-mimics. We suggest that ant-mimicking spiders are better at mimicking ant's locomotory movement than morphology and overall body shape. Our study provides a framework to understand the multimodal nature of mimicry and helps discern the relative contributions of such traits that drive mimetic accuracy in ant-mimicking spiders.

Look before you jump: jumping spiders discriminate different ants by visual cues

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajesh Vijayan ◽  
Chethana Casiker ◽  
Divya Uma
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽  
Predominant Role ◽  
Weaver Ants ◽  
Jumping Spiders ◽  
Carpenter Ants ◽  
Invertebrate Predator ◽  
Top Predators

AbstractAnts, being ubiquitous, aggressive, and top predators, play a predominant role in terrestrial ecosystems. Jumping spiders are another prominent invertebrate predator that are present in similar habitats as that of ants. Most jumping spiders are thought to avoid ants, yet little is known if they discriminate among them. In this study we examined the response of jumping spider genus Plexippus towards three different ant species (Oecophylla smaragdina, the weaver ants; Camponotus sericeus the golden-back carpenter ants, and Leptogenys processionalis, the procession ants). In a behavioral assay that excluded tactile and chemical cues, we tested if spiders distinguish the three ants by visual cues alone. We recorded and analysed behaviors such as ‘look’, ‘approach’, ‘stalk’, ‘attack’, and ‘avoidance’ by spiders towards ants. Our results show that the three ants differ in their color, movement and aggressive behavior. Spiders gave ‘short looks’ to live ants, suggesting movement is important in detecting ants. Furthermore, spiders gave significantly more ‘long looks’ to procession and golden-back ants compared to weaver ants. Spiders approached, stalked and attacked procession ants more compared to weaver ants. Numerous jumping spiders and ants overlap in their habitat, and it is advantageous to selectively avoid some ants over others. Our results suggests that jumping spiders can indeed distinguish ants that co-occur in their habitat by visual cues alone, however, the precise nature of visual cues warrants further studies.

scholarly journals PERBANDINGAN KONSEP KEPRIBADIAN MENURUT BARAT DAN ISLAM

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 249
Author(s):  
Agus Silahudin
Keyword(s):  
Body Shape ◽  
Human Personality ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Islamic Faith ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Islamic Literature

Personality is something that attracts the attention of many parties. Many theories that try to give some concepts and definitions related to the human personality with different points of view. Western psychologists try to provide a definition of personality that is psychological based on the word person, but until now the personality psychologists themselves still do not agree on what the definition of personality actually is. While in Islam, the concept of personality has been thoroughly discussed in various Islamic literature. The Apostle as an example for Muslims has applied the concept of personality and actions and behavior. Thus, the concept of personality according to Islam, that Islamic personality is defined as "a unified integration of the workings of aqliyah and nafsiyah based on Islamic faith which gives birth to actions". Human personality is not shaped and influenced by body shape, face and other accessories. Human personality is formed by aqliyah and nafsiyah.

scholarly journals A Novel Body Plan Alters Diversification of Body Shape and Genitalia in Live-Bearing Fish

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Brian Langerhans ◽  
Eduardo Rosa-Molinar
Keyword(s):  
Complex Traits ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Body Plan ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sperm Transfer ◽  
Body Region ◽  
Adaptive Divergence ◽  
Male Body ◽  
Correlated Evolution ◽  
Anterior Transposition

Major evolutionary innovations can greatly influence subsequent evolution. While many major transitions occurred in the deep past, male live-bearing fishes (family Poeciliidae) more recently evolved a novel body plan. This group possesses a three-region axial skeleton, with one region—the ano-urogenital region—representing a unique body region accommodating male genitalic structures (gonopodial complex). Here we evaluate several hypotheses for the evolution of diversity in this region and examine its role in the evolution of male body shape. Examining Gambusia fishes, we tested a priori predictions for (1) joint influence of gonopodial-complex traits on mating performance, (2) correlated evolution of gonopodial-complex traits at macro- and microevolutionary scales, and (3) predator-driven evolution of gonopodial-complex traits in a post-Pleistocene radiation of Bahamas mosquitofish. We found the length of the sperm-transfer organ (gonopodium) and its placement along the body (gonopodial anterior transposition) jointly influenced mating success, with correlational selection favoring particular trait combinations. Despite these two traits functionally interacting during mating, we found no evidence for their correlated evolution at macro- or microevolutionary scales. In contrast, we did uncover correlated evolution of modified vertebral hemal spines (part of the novel body region) and gonopodial anterior transposition at both evolutionary scales, matching predictions of developmental connections between these components. Developmental linkages in the ano-urogenital region apparently play key roles in evolutionary trajectories, but multiple selective agents likely act on gonopodium length and cause less predictable evolution. Within Bahamas mosquitofish, evolution of hemal-spine morphology, and gonopodial anterior transposition across predation regimes was quite predictable, with populations evolving under high predation risk showing more modified hemal spines with greater modifications and a more anteriorly positioned gonopodium. These changes in the ano-urogenital vertebral region have facilitated adaptive divergence in swimming abilities and body shape between predation regimes. Gonopodium surface area, but not length, evolved as predicted in Bahamas mosquitofish, consistent with a previously suggested tradeoff between natural and sexual selection on gonopodium size. These results provide insight into how restructured body plans offer novel evolutionary solutions. Here, a novel body region—originally evolved to aid sperm transfer—was apparently co-opted to alter whole-organism performance, facilitating phenotypic diversification.

scholarly journals Immune responses during the larval stages of Mytilus galloprovincialis: Metamorphosis alters immunocompetence, body shape and behavior

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 438-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Balseiro ◽  
Rebeca Moreira ◽  
Rubén Chamorro ◽  
Antonio Figueras ◽  
Beatriz Novoa
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Mytilus Galloprovincialis ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
And Behavior

scholarly journals The Utility of Geometric Morphometrics to Elucidate Pathways of Cichlid Fish Evolution

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Kerschbaumer ◽  
Christian Sturmbauer
Keyword(s):  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Anatomical Landmarks ◽  
Trophic Specialization ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
The Family ◽  
Morphometric Methods ◽  
Head Morphology

Fishes of the family Cichlidae are famous for their spectacular species flocks and therefore constitute a model system for the study of the pathways of adaptive radiation. Their radiation is connected to trophic specialization, manifested in dentition, head morphology, and body shape. Geometric morphometric methods have been established as efficient tools to quantify such differences in overall body shape or in particular morphological structures and meanwhile found wide application in evolutionary biology. As a common feature, these approaches define and analyze coordinates of anatomical landmarks, rather than traditional counts or measurements. Geometric morphometric methods have several merits compared to traditional morphometrics, particularly for the distinction and analysis of closely related entities. Cichlid evolutionary research benefits from the efficiency of data acquisition, the manifold opportunities of analyses, and the potential to visualize shape changes of those landmark-based methods. This paper briefly introduces to the concepts and methods of geometric morphometrics and presents a selection of publications where those techniques have been successfully applied to various aspects of cichlid fish diversification.

scholarly journals A Predator's Perspective of the Accuracy of Ant Mimicry in Spiders

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ximena J. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Batesian Mimicry ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Oecophylla Smaragdina ◽  
Jumping Spider ◽  
Behavioural Characteristics ◽  
Ant Mimicry ◽  
Signal Accuracy

Among spiders, resemblance of ants (myrmecomorphy) usually involves the Batesian mimicry, in which the spider coopts the morphological and behavioural characteristics of ants to deceive ant-averse predators. Nevertheless, the degree of resemblance between mimics and ants varies considerably. I usedPortia fimbriata,a jumping spider (Salticidae) with exceptional eyesight that specialises on preying on salticids, to test predator perception of the accuracy of ant mimicry.Portia fimbriata’s response to ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), accurate ant-like salticids (Synageles occidentalis), and inaccurate ant-like salticids (females ofMyrmarachne bakeriand sexually dimorphic males ofM. bakeri, which have enlarged chelicerae) was assessed.Portia fimbriataexhibited graded aversion in accordance with the accuracy of resemblance to ants (O. smaragdina>S. occidentalis> femaleM. bakeri> maleM. bakeri). These results support the hypothesis that ant resemblance confers protection from visual predators, but to varying degrees depending on signal accuracy.

scholarly journals Morphological assessment raises the possibility of cryptic species within the Luristan newt, Neurergus kaiseri (Amphibia: Salamandridae)

2019 ◽  
pp. 237-244
Author(s):  
Mansoureh Malekian
Keyword(s):  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Morphological Variation ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Inadequate Knowledge ◽  
Morphological Distinction ◽  
Conservation Of Biodiversity ◽  
Morphological Assessment

One of the main challenges in the conservation of biodiversity is to overcome inadequate knowledge about species and their intra-specific diversity. In the present study, we attempted to assess morphological distinction of the two previously identified genetic clades within the Luristan newt (Neurergus kaiseri, Schmidt 1952) endemic to Iran, which is essential for its conservation planning. Signals of the morphological variation in N. kaiseri were evaluated using landmark-based geometric morphometrics of body shape and characters of osteological structures. Morphological approaches revealed consistent groupings within the species, confirming the presence of two distinct lineages (previously named as the northern and southern clades). The morphological and genetic data provide evidence for the possible co-existence of two species in N. kaiseri and we recommend assigning the newly recognised forms to the species level.

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