Submersion tolerance in a lakeshore population ofPardosa lapidicina(Araneae: Lycosidae)

Abstract

Terrestrial animals often inhabit stochastic boundaries between terrestrial and aquatic habitats which are under constant risk of flooding. In these circumstances, terrestrial arthropods often exhibit behavioral and physiological adaptations to cope with this risk by either avoiding flooding or tolerating submersion. We present the results of a study designed to explore submersion tolerance in a lakeshore population of Pardosa lapidicina (Emerton 1885), a eurytopic lycosid. Spiders were submerged in lake water for 4, 8, 11, or 16 hours, then removed and tested for responsiveness. Each spider was checked for responsiveness a second time after an eight-hour period in a dry vial. Spiders that were submerged for longer periods were less likely to be responsive immediately after removal. However, between 7% and 38% additional spiders resumed activity eight hours after removal, their recovery depending on their time submerged. This suggests that adult P. lapidicina can survive long periods of submersion in a quiescent state and later resume activity.