Development of locomotion in a subsocial spider

Abstract

Following consumption of their mother, the subsocial spider Amaurobius ferox remain together, exhibiting distinctive behaviours in response to intruders into the natal nest. We examined the ontogeny and characteristics of locomotory behaviours in A. ferox during this post-maternal social period. Locomotion of the spiderlings, elicited by the introduction of a cricket larva into the natal web, fell into two categories: ‘abrupt locomotion’ (AL) and ‘ordinary locomotion’ (OL). AL involved rapid and linear movement, whereas OL involved slower motion, not necessarily in a straight line. Both types of locomotion varied with spiderling age. AL appeared for only a limited period of time whereas the frequency of OL increased linearly over time. AL occurred more collectively than OL: the percentage of participants in a bout of locomotion was 18.67±17.71% vs. 10.22±9.33%. The collective tendency of AL increased up until the seventh day and then decreased, whereas that of OL progressively decreased. The direction of AL responses to the intruder did not vary over time; however, for OL, movements towards increased in frequency over time. Locomotory responses also varied with the intensity of intruder movement. Including transient behaviours, the chronology of different behaviours suggests that behavioural development in A. ferox involves maternal influences and weakens group cohesion and collective tendency.