Fine-scale microhabitat selection in a bromeliad-dwelling jumping spider (Salticidae)

Abstract

Although a wide variety of arthropods specialize on a specific host plant, little is known about the evolution of host-plant specialization in spiders. In several regions of South America, the Neotropical jumping spider Psecas chapoda associates with Bromelia balansae, a rosette-shaped plant that does not accumulate rain water in phytotelmata. We conducted experiments using bromeliad species with distinct architectures that were uncommon in the geographic range of P. chapoda to investigate the level of spider specialization in microhabitat structure. We also tested the influence of phytotelmata and foliar spines on host plant selection. B. balansae, Ananas comosus and Aechmea distichantha (tank-bromeliad), which share similar traits (e.g. long and narrow leaves), were colonized in similar frequencies. Aechmea fasciata, a tank-bromeliad that has short and broad leaves, was never colonized by these spiders, and Aechmea blanchetiana, tank-bromeliad with long and broad leaves, was only colonized infrequently. The removal of foliar spines did not affect the number of P. chapoda on B. balansae. Our findings suggest that microhabitat specialization by P. chapoda is based on rosette and leaf architectures. This unusual specialization likely evolved because the bromeliads with such architecture (i.e. B. balansae) typically dominate the biogeographic area of P. chapoda, and because this microhabitat provides specific benefits to spiders, as shelter, and as foraging and reproductive sites.

Fine‐scale Beta‐diversity Patterns Across Multiple Arthropod Taxa Over a Neotropical Latitudinal Gradient

“…, Gonçalves‐Souza et al . , ), suggesting that, even for a food‐generalist predator, the selection of preferred habitats ( e.g ., those that best conduct visual or tactile stimuli) could favor their performance ( e.g ., foraging, mating), leading to habitat specialization (Omena & Romero , ). An increasing number of studies have shown that predator communities are compartmentalized in relation to habitat or microhabitat ( e.g ., Gonçalves‐Souza et al .…”

Phyllosphere Bacteria Improve Animal Contribution to Plant Nutrition

“…). The symbiotic interaction between B. balansae and Psecas chapoda is one such example – P. chapoda spiders find shelter among bromeliads leaves (Omena & Romero , ), and B. balansae acquire N from spider feces. Mineralizing bacteria appear to make an important and previously unappreciated contribution to plant nutrition and performance in this system; it may be that they do in other savanna plants as well.…”

Islands in the trees: A biogeographic exploration of epiphyte‐dwelling spiders

“…Spiders and epiphytes have a mutualistic relationship in which the plants provide spiders with a suitable habitat for foraging, reproduction, egg laying, and finding shelter (Gonçalves‐Souza, Brescovit, Rossa‐Feres, & Romero, ; Scheffers, Edwards, Diesmos, Williams, & Evans, ), and spiders reduce herbivore populations through predation and can make nutrients available to the plants (e.g., via excretion) (Gonçalves, Mercier, Mazzafera, & Romero, ; Romero, Mazzafera, Vasconcellos‐Neto, & Trivelin, ). Spiders are highly sensitive to subtle changes in habitat structure (Gonçalves‐Souza et al., ) and microclimatic conditions and they show active habitat selection (Omena & Romero, ; Rao, ). Because of this sensitivity, habitat diversity is expected to positively affect spider species numbers even at small spatial scales (Aikens & Buddle, ; Barton et al., ; De Mas, Chust, Pretus, & Ribera, ).…”