To be or not to be conspicuous: the effects of prey availability and predator risk on spider's web decoration building

Nakata, Kensuke

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.08.012

Cited by 26 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Linear stabilimenta in webs constructed by C. argenteoalba increase both in number (not significantly) and length (significantly) after webs are exposed to simulated predatory insect flutter, by means of a tuning fork, but this increase is not related to prey availability, suggesting that the stabilimenta have a predator defence function (Nakata, 2009). However, it is unclear whether this acts as camouflage or advertisement, or what the target predator is.…”

Section: Web Decorations In Orb Web Spidersmentioning

confidence: 96%

Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviour for its cocoon protection

Takasuka

Yasui

Ishigami

et al. 2015

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Host manipulation by parasites and parasitoids is a fascinating phenomenon within evolutionary ecology, representing an example of extended phenotypes. To elucidate the mechanism of host manipulation, revealing the origin and function of the invoked actions is essential. Our study focused on the ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid Reclinervellus nielseni, which turns its host spider (Cyclosa argenteoalba) into a drugged navvy, to modify the web structure into a more persistent cocoon web so that the wasp can pupate safely on this web after the spider's death. We focused on whether the cocoon web originated from the resting web that an unparasitized spider builds before moulting, by comparing web structures, building behaviour and silk spectral/tensile properties. We found that both resting and cocoon webs have reduced numbers of radii decorated by numerous fibrous threads and specific decorating behaviour was identical, suggesting that the cocoon web in this system has roots in the innate resting web and ecdysteroid-related components may be responsible for the manipulation. We also show that these decorations reflect UV light, possibly to prevent damage by flying web-destroyers such as birds or large insects. Furthermore, the tensile test revealed that the spider is induced to repeat certain behavioural steps in addition to resting web construction so that many more threads are laid down for web reinforcement.

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Section: Web Decorations In Orb Web Spidersmentioning

confidence: 96%

Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviour for its cocoon protection

Takasuka

Yasui

Ishigami

et al. 2015

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Orb-web architecture appears to be dichotomously plastic [i.e. appears as one of two forms (Whitman and Agrawal 2009)], and switching phenotype is induced by large-scale alterations in feeding frequency or prey retention (Nakata, 2007;Nakata, 2009). Orb-web architecture, accordingly, impacts on, and is responsive to, the physiology of the spider and the spider's niche breadth (Lehmann, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, the capture area, web shape, symmetry, number of capture threads, mesh size (the distance between capture threads), the number of radial threads, the size and shape of decorations and silk properties may respond differently to various biotic and abiotic stimuli (Schneider and Vollrath, 1998;Heiling and Herberstein, 2000;Tso et al, 2005;Tso et al, 2007;Mayntz et al, 2009). Secondly, the nature of the stimuli inducing plasticity is multitudinous with prey type, prey abundance, prey nutrients, temperature, water availability, habitat complexity, predation pressure and web vibrations implicit in inducing plastic responses in orb spider webs (Vollrath et al, 1997;Herberstein et al, 2000a;Tso et al, 2005;Tso et al, 2007;Blamires et al, 2009;Nakata, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The size and/or mass of an entangled insect may elicit vibrations in the radial silks of a specific frequency that provide information to the spider about the prey (Landolfa and Barth, 1996) that, consequently, affects web architecture (Nakata, 2009), creating a phenotype-environment positive feedback cycle. As spiders build webs aimed to capture the largest and/or most nutritionally profitable prey available in their habitat (Venner and Casas, 2005), the vibratory cues of the largest prey may be used to design webs aimed at catching those prey.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plasticity in extended phenotypes: orb web architectural responses to variations in prey parameters

Blamires

2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYA spider orb web is an extended phenotype; it modifies and interacts with the environment, influencing spider physiology. Orb webs are plastic, responding to variations in prey parameters. Studies attempting to understand how nutrients influence spider orb-web plasticity have been hampered by the inability to decouple prey nutrients from other, highly correlated, prey factors and the intrinsic link between prey protein and prey energy concentration. I analyzed the nutrient concentrations of cockroaches, and adult and juvenile crickets to devise experiments that controlled prey protein concentration while varying prey size, ingested mass, energy concentration and feeding frequency of the orb web spider Argiope keyserlingi. I found that A. keyserlingi alters overall architecture according to feeding frequency. Decoration length was inversely related to ingested prey mass and/or energy density in one experiment but directly related to ingested prey mass in another. These contradictory results suggest that factors not examined in this study have a confounding influence on decoration plasticity. As decorations attract prey as well as predators decreasing decoration investment may, in some instances, be attributable to benefits no longer outweighing the risks. Web area was altered according to feeding frequency, and mesh size altered according to feeding frequency and prey length. The number of radii in orb webs was unaffected by prey parameters. A finite amount of silk can be invested in the orb web, so spiders tradeoff smaller mesh size with larger web capture area, explaining why feeding frequency influenced both web area and mesh size. Mesh size is additionally responsive to prey size via sensory cues, with spiders constructing webs suitable for catching the most common or most profitable prey.

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“…The size and web characteristic spiders are important predictors of the size and type of prey the spider will capture [11] along with their capture efficiency [12][13][14][15][16]. Several factors reported to affect an orbweb-weavers ability to intercept prey, including insect availability [12,17], web area [14], web orientation [16] and web locations [18]. Prokop and Gryglakova [14] reported that web design including mesh height, capture thread length, and web area were affected by web height in wasplike spiders Argiope bruennichi (Araneae).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on Web-Site Attributes and Predatory Efficiency of Dark Tetragnathid Spider in Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary

Jayakumar¹,

Paramanandham²,

Duraimurugan³

et al. 2017

ILNS

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Abstract. Spiders represent one of the most abundant components of the predatory arthropods in terrestrial ecosystem. Their effectiveness at restricting pest populations, both alone and as part of natural enemy complex has well demonstrated in many countries. The web, web-site attributes and predatory efficiency of Dark Tetragnathid Spider Tetragnatha mandibulata were assessed in Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary between August 2015 and March 2016. In the present study, the spiders used limited number of plants species. The relationship between web architecture and web-site attributes was estimated using Pearson's correlation. Number of spiders recorded in the web showed the positive correlation with web horizontal and vertical length of the capture areas (p<0.05). Similarly, the web circumference showed the positive interaction with plant height and canopy width (p<0.05), which clearly indicated the importance of vegetations across the webs of Dark Tetragnathid Spider. Further, the microhabitat selection and utilization could also be impacted by non-trophic factors like structural features of plants that provide architectural supports to spiders. A total of 4620 insect pests comprising seven orders were entangled by the webs of dark tetragnathid spiders. Number of spiders in the web were positively correlated with number of insect pests (p<0.05), which clearly explained that the Dark Tetragnathid spiders restricting pest populations and therefore they are considered as useful organism in biological control.

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To be or not to be conspicuous: the effects of prey availability and predator risk on spider's web decoration building

Cited by 26 publications

References 41 publications

Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviour for its cocoon protection

Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviour for its cocoon protection

Plasticity in extended phenotypes: orb web architectural responses to variations in prey parameters

Study on Web-Site Attributes and Predatory Efficiency of Dark Tetragnathid Spider in Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary

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