Activity of Juvenile Tarantulas in and Around the Maternal Burrow

Shillington, Cara; McEwen, Brian

doi:10.1636/s05-18.1

Cited by 18 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Each spiderling may contribute to the growth of the thread, as observed in the dragline produced by the spider Larinoides cornutus (Araneae: Araneidae) (Jeanson et al 2004). Shillington and McEwen (2006) observed that not all spiderlings of the same maternal burrow dispersed on the same night. The remaining juveniles started dispersal along the same path as the column of their siblings, which dispersed the previous night.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…During daytime, the spiderlings were known to remain active and visible at the entrance of the burrow for up to one hour after the female had retreated. They were able to move easily through the web covering laid by the female over the burrow entrance (Shillington & McEwen 2006). Authors hypothesized that the silk network around the burrow provides an important chemotactic cue for orientation (Minch 978) and juveniles probably remain in contact with this network at all times.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Authors hypothesized that the silk network around the burrow provides an important chemotactic cue for orientation (Minch 978) and juveniles probably remain in contact with this network at all times. After this gregarious period, the spiderlings disperse in the form of columns of about 00 siblings walking away from the mother's burrow (Reichling 2000(Reichling , 2003Shillington & McEwen 2006). Shillington & McEwen (2006) observed that during the night of May 24 th 2003, spiderlings left the maternal burrow in three lines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After this gregarious period, the spiderlings disperse in the form of columns of about 00 siblings walking away from the mother's burrow (Reichling 2000(Reichling , 2003Shillington & McEwen 2006). Shillington & McEwen (2006) observed that during the night of May 24 th 2003, spiderlings left the maternal burrow in three lines. Then at random intervals, one individual left the column and headed in a different direction, causing successive forks in the column.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Silk use and spiderling behavior in the tarantula Brachypelma vagans (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Dor

Hénaut

2012

AZM

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Brachypelma vagas belongs to a genus of tarantulas protected against illegal trading. Its distribution range is in Mesoamerica. The spiderlings remain together in the maternal burrow after hatching and after several weeks, they disperse forming a column of about hundred individuals leading away from the burrow. In several spider species, during the gregarious phase and dispersion, spiderlingsdo not show aggressive behavior toward siblings. Silk is an important element in dispersion. However, knowledge of the first stage of B. vagans life is scarce. In the present study, therefore, we describe the natural history of the first stage of life of this species, with particular attention to the development, silk production, interactions between sibling and dispersion. Two egg sacs were collected in the field and maintained in laboratory conditions, without the mother. After hatching, we counted 200 individuals peregg sac; they are cream colored and 2-3 mm long. The first molt occurred at emergence, and the second, five or six days after hatching. After that, a black point appeared on the dorsal part of the abdomen of each spiderling. Production of silk by the spiderlings began from hatching. Dispersion occurred in one group of siblings on the 8th day after emergence, with the production of a thread of silk stretching for at least one meter out of the box. The silk thread produced by the spiderlings during dispersal, could act as a physical guide to indicate the route, or as the support of chemical signs for the orientation of the spiderlings. The absence of silk thread reported in field observations of dispersal could be explained by thefact that it is difficult to see, by lack of production or by production that is environment-dependent. In the group where dispersion was not permitted, no aggressive behavior was observed between siblings; however, a drastic diminution of the individual number occurred in the course of the two-month observation. Mortality could be explained by diseases, unsuitable environmental conditions related to the mother’s absence or not. On the other hand, the remaining spiderlings showed an enlargement of their abdomenin spite of refusal to eat the diary food proposed. It is likely they ate spiderling cadavers or silk. This work offers new knowledge about the first life stage in tarantulas and could be used as a basis for more detailed studies on spiderlings of the tarantula group.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Silk use and spiderling behavior in the tarantula Brachypelma vagans (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Dor

Hénaut

2012

AZM

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“…Like males, spiderlings have good dispersal abilities (Reichling 2000;Shillington and McEwen 2006). In the case of B. vagans, however, spiderlings are known to experience high predation rates, because they are prey to other spiders (Dor and Hénaut 2011), which probably limits juvenile dispersal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When landscape modification is advantageous for protected species. The case of a synanthropic tarantula, Brachypelma vagans

2011

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Landscape fragmentation usually has a considerable effect on the genetic and demographic viability of most species because it reduces population size and increases isolation among populations. This situation provokes loss of genetic diversity and increased inbreeding that can lead to population or species extinctions. Some studies also show that landscape fragmentation may have no effect on or even positive consequences for species genetic diversity. The protected tarantula, Brachypelma vagans, exhibits a particular situation in the Mexican Caribbean, which has experienced high lowland and coastal fragmentation because of recent increases in agricultural, urban and touristic development. This modified landscape structure creates favorable conditions for establishment of B. vagans populations in rural settlements. Populations of this tarantula have high densities of individuals, principally females and juveniles, and gene dispersion is assumed by the rare males. Within this context, we studied the influence of natural and anthropogenic fragmentation on the genetic diversity of six B. vagans populations (five continental, one insular), together with their spatial organization. Our approach used seven inter simple sequence repeat markers, which are highly polymorphic markers. The 76 loci selected revealed high genetic variability for continental populations and a low, but not critical situation, for the insular population. We detected a good level of gene exchange among continental populations, and an evident and recent isolation of the island population. This species exhibits a metapopulation structure in the lowlands with numerous local populations where mature females exhibit high birth site fidelity. We conclude that this protected species does not exhibit characteristics to warrant its current conservation status, and we propose complete revision of the ecological and genetic situation for B. vagans in particular, and for all species within the genus Brachypelma in general.

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Communication and Reproductive Biology of Tarantulas

Ferretti¹

2020

New World Tarantulas

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Activity of Juvenile Tarantulas in and Around the Maternal Burrow

Cited by 18 publications

References 16 publications

Silk use and spiderling behavior in the tarantula Brachypelma vagans (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Silk use and spiderling behavior in the tarantula Brachypelma vagans (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

When landscape modification is advantageous for protected species. The case of a synanthropic tarantula, Brachypelma vagans

Communication and Reproductive Biology of Tarantulas

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