Niche differentiation between some species of Ghanaian orb-web spiders (Araneae: Araneidae, Tetragnathidae)

Abstract

The web placement and web structure of the nine most common species of orb-web spiders (Araneae: Araneidae, Tetragnathidae) coexisting in the park-like campus of the University of Ghana in Legon, Ghana, were investigated to analyse differences between their ecological niches. Various web parameters, such as: relation to habitat, height, light exposure, web size, mesh size, and web inclination, were measured. When comparing these parameters in all species pairs, the webs of each species were found to differ in at least two parameters from the web of every other species. Since the analysed web parameters are all likely to influence the number and kind of prey caught, this suggests a niche differentiation between all analysed species. Some observations were also made on the prey caught. While the prey analysis was not detailed enough to find differences between all species, there was a positive correlation between the web's mesh size and the size of the prey.