A comparison of morphology and web geometry between hypogean and epigean species of Metellina orb spiders (family Tetragnathidae)

Subterranean Biology ◽

10.3897/subtbiol.32.36222 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Thomas Hesselberg ◽

Daniel Simonsen

Keyword(s):

Life Style ◽

Foraging Behaviour ◽

Behavioural Flexibility ◽

Permanent Record ◽

Behavioural Adaptation ◽

Web Geometry ◽

Web Building

Studies on the behaviour of subterranean animals are rare, mainly due to the problems with collecting data in these inaccessible habitats. Web-building cave spiders, however, leave a semi-permanent record of their foraging behaviour, which can relatively easily be recorded. In this study, we compare size, leg lengths and web characteristics between hypogean populations of Metellina merianae with its close wood-inhabiting relative M. mengei. We confirm previous observations that M. merianae does not show any obvious morphological and behavioural adaptions to a subterranean life-style, although individuals of the cave species were significantly larger and had webs with relatively fewer radii and capture spiral turns than M. mengei. We were, however, not able to determine if these findings indicate a transition towards behavioural adaptation to caves or if they are a result of behavioural flexibility in response to the different humidity and temperature between caves and woodland. Finally, we did not find any effect of cave characteristics on either the number of radii or the area of the M. merianae web.

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Exploration behaviour and behavioural flexibility in orb-web spiders: A review

Current Zoology ◽

10.1093/czoolo/61.2.313 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 313-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Thomas Hesselberg

Keyword(s):

Spatial Information ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Cognitive Map ◽

Behavioural Flexibility ◽

Binary Information ◽

Orb Web ◽

Ideal Model System ◽

Orb Web Spiders ◽

Web Building ◽

Shed Light

Abstract Orb-web spiders and their webs constitute an ideal model system in which to study behavioural flexibility and spatial cognition in invertebrates due to the easily quantifiable nature of the orb web. A large number of studies demonstrate how spiders are able to modify the geometry of their webs in response to a range of different conditions including the ability to adapt their webs to spatial constraints. However, the mechanisms behind this impressive web-building flexibility in these cognitively limited animals remain poorly explored. One possible mechanism though may be spatial learning during the spiders’ exploration of their immediate surroundings. This review discusses the importance of exploration behaviour, the reliance on simple behavioural rules, and the use of already laid threads as guidelines for web-building in orb-web spiders. The focus is on the spiders’ ability to detect and adapt their webs to space limitations and other spatial disruptions. I will also review the few published studies on how spatial information is gathered during the exploration phase and discuss the possibility of the use of ‘cognitive map’-like processes in spiders. Finally, the review provides suggestions for designing experimental studies to shed light on whether spiders gather metric information during the site exploration (cognitive map hypothesis) or rely on more simple binary information in combination with previously laid threads to build their webs (stigmergy hypothesis).

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Nutrient balance affects foraging behaviour of a trap-building predator

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2009.0431 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 5 (6) ◽

pp. 735-738 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

David Mayntz ◽

Søren Toft ◽

Fritz Vollrath

Keyword(s):

Foraging Behaviour ◽

Prey Capture ◽

Prey Availability ◽

Capture Rate ◽

Nutrient Balance ◽

Nutrient Composition ◽

Web Architecture ◽

First Instar ◽

Predator Foraging ◽

Web Building

Predator foraging may be affected by previous prey capture, but it is unknown how nutrient balance affects foraging behaviour. Here, we use a trap-building predator to test whether nutrients from previous prey captures affect foraging behaviour. We fed orb-weaving spiders ( Zygiella x-notata ) prey flies of different nutrient composition and in different amounts during their first instar and measured the subsequent frequency of web building and aspects of web architecture. We found that both the likelihood of web building and the number of radii in the web were affected by prey nutrient composition while prey availability affected capture area and mesh height. Our results show that both the balance of nutrients in captured prey and the previous capture rate may affect future foraging behaviour of predators.

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Experimental evidence that high humidity is an essential cue for web building in Pasilobus spiders

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539x-00003440 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 154 (7-8) ◽

pp. 709-718 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tadashi Miyashita ◽

Minoru Kasada ◽

Akio Tanikawa

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Property ◽

Experimental Evidence ◽

Foraging Behaviour ◽

High Humidity ◽

Web Building ◽

Bolas Spiders

Spiders in the subfamily Cyrtarachninae, including bolas spiders, are moth specialists, and it has been suggested that these spiders initiate web-weaving under high humidity. Here we used Pasilobus hupingensis to experimentally test whether Cyrtarachninae spiders build webs exclusively under high humidity. The results showed that humidity, as well as temperature and prey feeding history, affected web-building probability, but humidity had a much stronger effect. Moreover, spiders never constructed webs at under <70% humidity. We suggest that a mechanical property in sticky materials derived from moth specialization; namely, unusually high, yet rapidly degrading stickiness, is likely to have promoted the evolution of plastic foraging behaviour that varies with humidity.

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The effects of neurotoxins on web-geometry and web-building behaviour in Araneus diadematus Cl.

Physiology & Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.04.058 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 82 (2-3) ◽

pp. 519-529 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

T HESSELBERG ◽

F VOLLRATH

Keyword(s):

Web Geometry ◽

Araneus Diadematus ◽

Building Behaviour ◽

Web Building

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Foraging behaviour of American oystercatchers in response to declining prey densities

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z97-024 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 75 (2) ◽

pp. 170-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Joanne Tuckwell ◽

Erica Nol

Keyword(s):

Crassostrea Virginica ◽

Seasonal Changes ◽

Prey Density ◽

Foraging Behaviour ◽

Niche Breadth ◽

Time Budgets ◽

Behavioural Flexibility ◽

Close Match ◽

Commercial Harvest ◽

Haematopus Palliatus

American oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) responded to declines in the density of oysters (Crassostrea virginica) on a commercial oyster bed examined in 1979 and 1995 by increasing the number of species of prey eaten and search times, but not peck rates or handling times. Seasonal changes in foraging behaviour included oystercatchers choosing larger oysters with longer handling times in winter than in autumn, but with subsequently greater profitability and higher intake rates. Time budgets of foraging birds were similar in the two seasons. Oystercatchers ate fewer mussels in winter than in autumn, and fewer mussels than oysters at all times. Search and handling times for mussels were similar in autumn of the 2 years. After a commercial harvest of oysters at a second site, handling times for oysters did not decline; however, search times were significantly more variable, niche breadth was greater, and there was a trend towards longer search times post harvest. The recorded changes in foraging behaviour indicated a close match between search and handling times and prey density and size and behavioural flexibility of foraging birds in response to sometimes drastic changes in their prey base.

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The foraging behaviour and ecology of animal-eating bats

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z90-061 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 68 (3) ◽

pp. 411-422 ◽

Cited By ~ 248

Author(s):

M. Brock Fenton

Keyword(s):

Foraging Behaviour ◽

Behavioural Flexibility ◽

Wing Morphology ◽

Echolocation Call ◽

Individual Behaviour ◽

Behavioural Responses ◽

Individual Variations ◽

Radio Transmitters ◽

Functional Features ◽

Prey Items

The results of recent studies of the foraging behaviour of animal-eating bats are considered in this review. The advent of small (< 1 g) radio transmitters has made it possible to collect data on individual variations in foraging behaviour for species with body mass over 15 g. These data can be combined with those from wing morphology and echolocation call design to assess the flexibility achieved by some bats. The information concerning bats can be placed in a broader perspective by considering it in the light of current ideas about foraging theory. In this review, information about bat foraging is considered in the context of structural and functional features, the former relating to bats' access to habitats of different complexity and the latter to their behavioural responses. Mechanical features involving wing morphology and perceptual features, such as the ability of echolocating bats to deal with clutter, combine to influence the behavioural flexibility of individuals. This, in turn, affects access to prey and patterns of community structure. Bats relying on airborne prey appear to be limited to small prey items, whereas those hunting nonairborne targets may take much larger prey. Variation in individual behaviour means that terms such as gleaning, perch hunting, piscivory, and carnivory do not accurately define the foraging of animal-eating bats. Morphological and behavioural data suggest that sympatric animal-eating bats of similar size will show considerable overlap in prey taken and in patterns of habitat use.

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