Delicate fangs, smart killing: the predation strategy of the recluse spider

Segovia, Júlio M.G.; Del‐Claro, Kleber; Willemart, Rodrigo Hirata

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.12.025

Cited by 23 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…On the other hand, releasing secretion only after being captured may be efficient when coping with non-chewing predators like some amphibians (Stebbins and Cohen 1997) and birds (Welty 1982). Because prey like armored harvestmen (suborder Laniatores) are well protected within a heavy sclerotized integument (e.g., Dias and Willemart 2013;Segovia et al 2015a;Souza and Willemart 2011), they might be regurgitated without significant mechanical damage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Scent Glands of the Neotropical Harvestman Discocyrtus pectnifemur: Morphology, Behavior and Chemistry

et al. 2015

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Harvestmen have a pair of scent glands that open through ozopores. The literature suggests a link between the morphology of the ozopore area and the emission of a defensive secretion. A previous study on a species that aggregates in open areas, where individuals are probably more easily spotted by predators, showed that this defensive secretion causes conspecifics to flee. However, it is unknown whether this behavior occurs in species that aggregate in sheltered areas, where prey are harder to find. Herein, we describe the morphology of the ozopore area, the mode of emission of the defensive secretion, and its chemical composition in the harvestman Discocyrtus pectinifemur. We also tested if the defensive secretion is used as an alarm pheromone. We found that D. pectinifemur releases the defensive secretion in different ways, one of them being as a jet. Emission as a jet contrasts with that known for all congeners previously studied, and is in accord with the expected morphology of the ozopore. We found that the defensive secretion of D. pectinifemur does not function as an alarm pheromone. The composition of the defensive secretion, a mixture of quinones, is congruent with those already described for the clade that includes Discocyrtus. Our results support the link between the morphology of the scent glands area and the emission behavior of the defensive secretion, and they suggest that the alarm pheromone function in harvestmen may be dependent on ecological factors.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Scent Glands of the Neotropical Harvestman Discocyrtus pectnifemur: Morphology, Behavior and Chemistry

et al. 2015

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“…This study, with some recent findings on defensive behavior of harvestmen (Souza & Willemart, ; Dias & Willemart, ; Albín & Toscano‐Gadea, ; Segovia et al ., ,c) highlights the importance of examining the natural interactions between prey and their actual predators, in contrast to artificial stimuli or simulated predators. Also, since a complex predator community usually shapes the prey′s defenses, pairs of predator‐prey species have to be studied to understand how prey avoids being eaten, an understudied feature of animal behavior (Kraemer, Serb & Adams, ) to which our present study attempted to make a contribution.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it has been reported that, unexpectedly, such secretions are not used against all predators: in more than a hundred interactions between armored harvestmen and spiders, only a single harvestman released defensive secretions (Souza & Willemart, 2011;Carvalho, Souza & Willemart, 2012;Dias & Willemart, 2013). It has been shown that it is the thick exoskeleton (=armor) that protects harvestmen in the suborder Laniatores in spider attacks (Souza & Willemart, 2011;Dias & Willemart, 2013;Segovia et al, 2015b). Other predator species (scorpions and spiders) that somehow avoid the armor are more successful than predators that do not (Alb ın & Toscano-Gadea, 2015;Segovia et al, 2015b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been shown that it is the thick exoskeleton (=armor) that protects harvestmen in the suborder Laniatores in spider attacks (Souza & Willemart, 2011;Dias & Willemart, 2013;Segovia et al, 2015b). Other predator species (scorpions and spiders) that somehow avoid the armor are more successful than predators that do not (Alb ın & Toscano-Gadea, 2015;Segovia et al, 2015b). Against these two predators, defensive chemicals were not released by the harvestmen against recluse spiders or sometimes released but ignored by scorpions (Alb ın & Toscano-Gadea, 2015;Segovia et al, 2015b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) are mostly nocturnal organisms known for their chemical defenses (Gnaspini & Hara, 2007;Nazareth & Machado, 2015;Segovia et al, 2015a), but that actually have an array of defensive mechanisms. For some species of the suborder Laniatores, a thick armor is the primary defense mechanism (Souza & Willemart, 2011;Dias & Willemart, 2013;Segovia, Del-Claro & Willemart, 2015b), but they may also freeze (Chelini, Willemart & Hebets, 2009), flee or retaliate both chemically and mechanically, during which they may bite and pinch with their chelicerae or pedipalps and pinch with spines on legs IV (Gnaspini & Hara, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Sticky flatworms (Platyhelminthes) kill armored harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) but are not immune to the prey′s weapons

2018

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Asking how prey respond to different species of predators helps understanding the repertoire of defenses prey exhibit. This approach may also add to the knowledge on the efficiency of prey′s defenses against each predator and allows studying the costs of being attacked by different predators. Here, we studied interactions between the predatory terrestrial flatworm Cephaloflexa bergi and the harvestman Mischonyx cuspidatus. The flatworm quickly strikes at the prey′s leg with its head, then crawls towards the prey′s body releasing mucus and thus subdues the harvestman. Harvestmen may release defensive chemicals and pinch the flatworm with spines on legs IV, sometimes cutting the predator in two pieces. We also experimentally assessed the benefits of harvestmen′ defense and the cost of being attacked by testing whether the chemical defense of the harvestmen is efficient against the flatworm and whether the harvestmen that had survived a flatworm attack would have their locomotion abilities hampered. Both hypotheses were corroborated. Previous studies on interactions between harvestmen and other predators, such as spiders and scorpions, had shown that defensive secretions and mechanical retaliation were seldom used and were often ineffective. Our results point to the exact opposite and suggest that different predators exert different selective pressures culminating in the array of defenses exhibited by the prey.

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The sensory equipment of a sandokanid: An extreme case of tarsal reduction in harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores)

Gainett

Sharma

Giribet

et al. 2018

Journal of Morphology

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The study of sensory structures has the potential to provide insights into the natural history and evolution of animals. The sensory structures of arachnids are usually concentrated on the pedipalps (the tritocerebral appendages) or on the distal podomere (tarsus) of the anterior walking legs, the latter being the case for armored harvestmen (Opiliones, Laniatores). Therefore, modifications of the tarsus could have direct impacts on the sensory equipment of these animals. Using scanning electron microscopy, we investigated the sensory equipment in an extreme case of reduction in tarsal articles in the harvestman Sandokan truncatus (Sandokanidae), which bears a single tarsomere in all legs, and the potential consequences of this reduction. Additionally, we review the literature on the natural history of the family Sandokanidae. Tarsomeres of all legs are equipped with gustatory sensilla, mechanoreceptors, and a pore organ, but wall-pored olfactory sensilla are restricted to tarsi I and II. Tarsi II present a higher density of olfactory sensilla and also putative campaniform sensilla (strain detectors), which indicates a special sensory function of this pair of legs. Other podomeres are covered with shelled sensilla, a probable chemoreceptor previously unreported in Opiliones. Overall, S. truncatus has types of sensilla largely comparable to harvestmen with longer and subdivided tarsi. However, S. truncatus also exhibits extra-tarsal sensory fields of sensilla basiconica (putative thermo-/hygroreceptors) in previously undescribed sites, and the unique pore organs. Our results establish a basis for further research investigating the natural history, as well as the evolutionary correlations and mechanistic causes of the tarsal reduction in this enigmatic lineage.

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Delicate fangs, smart killing: the predation strategy of the recluse spider

Cited by 23 publications

References 60 publications

The Scent Glands of the Neotropical Harvestman Discocyrtus pectnifemur: Morphology, Behavior and Chemistry

The Scent Glands of the Neotropical Harvestman Discocyrtus pectnifemur: Morphology, Behavior and Chemistry

Sticky flatworms (Platyhelminthes) kill armored harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) but are not immune to the prey′s weapons

The sensory equipment of a sandokanid: An extreme case of tarsal reduction in harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores)

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