Optical cues used in predation by jumping spiders, Phidippus audax (Araneae, Salticidae)

Julie V. Bednarski; Phillip Taylor; Elizabeth M. Jakob

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.08.032

Optical cues used in predation by jumping spiders, Phidippus audax (Araneae, Salticidae)

Animal Behaviour ◽

10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.08.032 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 84 (5) ◽

pp. 1221-1227 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Julie V. Bednarski ◽

Phillip Taylor ◽

Elizabeth M. Jakob

Keyword(s):

Jumping Spiders ◽

Phidippus Audax

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Secondary eyes mediate the response to looming objects in jumping spiders ( Phidippus audax , Salticidae)

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2012.0716 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 949-951 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Lauren Spano ◽

Skye M. Long ◽

Elizabeth M. Jakob

Keyword(s):

Sensory Systems ◽

Field Of View ◽

Sense Organs ◽

Jumping Spiders ◽

Black Circle ◽

Different Types ◽

Types Of Information ◽

Phidippus Audax

Some species have sensory systems divided into subsystems with morphologically different sense organs that acquire different types of information within the same modality. Jumping spiders (family Salticidae) have eight eyes. Four eyes are directed anteriorly to view objects in front of the spider: a pair of principal eyes track targets with their movable retinae, while the immobile anterior lateral (AL) eyes have a larger field of view and lower resolution. To test whether the principal eyes, the AL eyes, or both together mediate the response to looming stimuli, we presented spiders with a video of a solid black circle that rapidly expanded (loomed) or contracted (receded). Control spiders and spiders with their principal eyes masked were significantly more likely to back away from the looming stimulus than were spiders with their AL eyes masked. Almost no individuals backed away from the receding stimulus. Our results show that the AL eyes alone mediate the loom response to objects anterior to the spider.

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The effect of irradiation and mass rearing on the anti-predator behaviour of the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485313000643 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 104 (2) ◽

pp. 176-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

D. Rao ◽

S. Aguilar-Argüello ◽

P. Montoya ◽

F. Díaz-Fleischer

Keyword(s):

Sterile Insect Technique ◽

Mating Behaviour ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Mass Rearing ◽

Fruit Flies ◽

Anastrepha Ludens ◽

Mexican Fruit Fly ◽

Jumping Spiders ◽

Phidippus Audax ◽

Predator Behaviour

AbstractFruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are major pests worldwide. The sterile insect technique, where millions of flies are reared, sterilized by irradiation and then released, is one of the most successful and ecologically friendly methods of controlling populations of these pests. The mating behaviour of irradiated and non-irradiated flies has been compared in earlier studies, but there has been little attention paid to the anti-predator behaviour of mass-reared flies, especially with respect to wild flies. Tephritid flies perform a supination display to their jumping spider predators in order to deter attacks. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of using this display to determine the anti-predator capabilities of mass-reared irradiated, non-irradiated flies, and wild flies. We used an arena setup and observed bouts between jumping spiders (Phidippus audax Hentz) and male Mexican fruit flies (Anastrepha ludens Loew). We show that although all flies performed a supination display to their predator, wild flies were more likely to perform a display and were significantly more successful in avoiding attack than mass-reared flies. We suggest that this interaction can be used to develop a rapid realistic method of quality control in evaluating anti-predator abilities of mass-reared fruit flies.

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