A glimpse into the sexual biology of the “zygiellid” spider genus Leviellus

Kralj‐Fišer, Simona; Gregorič, Matjaž; Lokovšek, Tjaša; Čelik, Tatjana; Kuntner, Matjaž

doi:10.1636/hi13-08

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(69 reference statements)

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“…The 21 st century began with some higher level systematics and taxonomic works that used Slovenia’s exemplars ( Agnarson 2004 ; Arnedo et al 2004 , 2009; Gregorič 2008 ; Kuntner et al 2008 ; Řezáč et al 2008a , b ; Van Helsdingen et al 2001 ; Wang et al 2010 ), but mostly continued to document the fauna through faunistic contributions ( Buchar and Dolansky 2011 ; Buchar and Thaler 2002 ; Čandek et al 2013 , 2015 ; Decae 2010 ; Fišer and Kostanjšek 2001 ; Franc 2004 ; Gorjan and Fišer 2010 ; Gregorič and Kuntner 2009 ; Kostanjšek 2000 , 2001 , 2002a , b , 2003 , 2004a , b , 2005 , 2007 , 2010 , 2011 , 2013 , 2014 ; Kostanjšek and Celestina 2008 ; Kostanjšek and Fišer 2005 ; Kostanjšek and Gorjan 2013 ; Kostanjšek and Kuntner 2002 ; Kostanjšek and Miller 2004 ; Kostanjšek and Ramšak 2005 ; Kuntner 2001 ; Kuntner and Kostanjšek 2000 ; Kuntner et al 2007 ; Neuhauser et al 1995 ; Pipan et al 2008 ; Polak et al 2012 ), ecological and behavioral studies ( Kralj-Fišer et al 2013 ; Nentwig and M. 2010 ; Novak 2005b ; Novak et al 2004 , 2010 ; Tkavc 2008 ) and zoogeographical reviews ( Blick et al 2004 ; Decae 2010 ; Deltshev 2005 ; 2008 ; Finch et al 2008 ; Knapič 2012 ; Kuntner and Šereg 2002 ; Le Peru 2011 , Řezáč et al 2014 ).…”

Section: Historic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Araneae Sloveniae: a national spider species checklist

Kuntner¹,

Kostanjšek²

2015

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The research of the spider fauna of Slovenia dates back to the very beginning of binomial nomenclature, and has gone through more and less prolific phases with authors concentrating on taxonomy, faunistics, ecology and zoogeographic reviews. Although the body of published works is remarkable for a small nation, the faunistic data has remained too scattered for a thorough understanding of regional biotic diversity, for comparative and ecological research, and for informed conservation purposes. A national checklist is long overdue. Here, a critical review of all published records in any language is provided. The species list currently comprises 738 species, is published online at http://www.bioportal.si/katalog/araneae.php under the title Araneae Sloveniae, and will be updated in due course. This tool will fill the void in cataloguing regional spider faunas and will facilitate further araneological research in central and southern Europe.

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Section: Historic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Araneae Sloveniae: a national spider species checklist

Kuntner¹,

Kostanjšek²

2015

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“…Kralj‐Fišer et al (2013 a ) also established eunuchs in 2 out of 17 mated Leviellus thorelli males. Subsequent to mating and separation from females, they found half‐eunuchs along with their severed palps, implying post‐mating palpal removal resembling that in Herennia spp.…”

Section: Review Of Known Spider Emasculation Casesmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Similarly, we scored sexual cannibalism as a simple presence/absence character, however, lacking a more recent taxonomic review of the phenomenon than Elgar's (), the unknowns were left as ‘?’ (see online Appendix S2) in all taxa not investigated for cannibalism in recent literature (e.g. Andrade, , , ; Knoflach & van Harten, , ; Schneider et al, , ; Knoflach, , ; Schneider & Elgar, ; Elgar et al , ; Knoflach & Benjamin, ; Elgar & Schneider, ; Uhl et al, ; Wilder & Rypstra, ; Wilder, Rypstra & Elgar, ; Kuntner et al , 2009 c ; Kralj‐Fišer et al, 2011, 2012, 2013 a ; Kralj‐Fišer & Kuntner, ). In addition to the pairwise correlational tests between emasculation as the dependent variable and SSD and cannibalism as independent variables, respectively, we also tested potential correlation between emasculation and lesser genital damage defined as presence versus absence of male embolic breakage (Fig.…”

Section: Evolution Of Emasculationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The eunuch phenomenon: adaptive evolution of genital emasculation in sexually dimorphic spiders

Kuntner

Agnarsson

2014

Biological Reviews

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Under natural and sexual selection traits often evolve that secure paternity or maternity through self-sacrifice to predators, rivals, offspring, or partners. Emasculation-males removing their genitals-is an unusual example of such behaviours. Known only in insects and spiders, the phenomenon's adaptiveness is difficult to explain, yet its repeated origins and association with sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and sexual cannibalism suggest an adaptive significance. In spiders, emasculation of paired male sperm-transferring organs - secondary genitals - (hereafter, palps), results in 'eunuchs'. This behaviour has been hypothesized to be adaptive because (i) males plug female genitals with their severed palps (plugging hypothesis), (ii) males remove their palps to become better fighters in male-male contests (better-fighter hypothesis), perhaps reaching higher agility due to reduced total body mass (gloves-off hypothesis), and (iii) males achieve prolonged sperm transfer through severed genitals (remote-copulation hypothesis). Prior research has provided evidence in support of these hypotheses in some orb-weaving spiders but these explanations are far from general. Seeking broad macroevolutionary patterns of spider emasculation, we review the known occurrences, weigh the evidence in support of the hypotheses in each known case, and redefine more precisely the particular cases of emasculation depending on its timing in relation to maturation and mating: 'pre-maturation', 'mating', and 'post-mating'. We use a genus-level spider phylogeny to explore emasculation evolution and to investigate potential evolutionary linkage between emasculation, SSD, lesser genital damage (embolic breakage), and sexual cannibalism (females consuming their mates). We find a complex pattern of spider emasculation evolution, all cases confined to Araneoidea: emasculation evolved at least five and up to 11 times, was lost at least four times, and became further modified at least once. We also find emasculation, as well as lesser genital damage and sexual cannibalism, to be significantly associated with SSD. These behavioural and morphological traits thus likely co-evolve in spiders. Emasculation can be seen as an extreme form of genital mutilation, or even a terminal investment strategy linked to the evolution of monogyny. However, as different emasculation cases in araneoid spiders are neither homologous nor biologically identical, and may or may not serve as paternity protection, the direct link to monogyny is not clear cut. Understanding better the phylogenetic patterns of emasculation and its constituent morphologies and behaviours, a clearer picture of the intricate interplay of natural and sexual selection may arise. With the here improved evolutionary resolution of spider eunuch behaviour, we can more specifically tie the evidence from adaptive hypotheses to independent cases, and propose promising avenues for further research of spider eunuchs, and of the evolution of monogyny.

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Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of the Australasian leaf-curling orb-weaving spiders (Araneae: Araneidae: Zygiellinae), with a comparative analysis of retreat evolution

Kallal

Hormiga

2018

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

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A glimpse into the sexual biology of the “zygiellid” spider genus Leviellus

Cited by 5 publications

References 54 publications

Araneae Sloveniae: a national spider species checklist

Araneae Sloveniae: a national spider species checklist

The eunuch phenomenon: adaptive evolution of genital emasculation in sexually dimorphic spiders

Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of the Australasian leaf-curling orb-weaving spiders (Araneae: Araneidae: Zygiellinae), with a comparative analysis of retreat evolution

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