Abstract
Abstract Preliminary observations on Helvibis thorelli (Theridiidae) in French Guiana suggest a typical subsocial behavior in this species, with nests consisting of a mother and her offspring who collaborate in prey capture. Communal feeding occurs over several juvenile instars. Subsociality has previously been described in three theridiid genera (Achaearanea, Anelosimus, Theridion) and predicted to occur in further genera of the subfamily Theridiinae. Our findings support this prediction and have important implications for comparative studies as they add another independent observation of social behavior: current phylogenetic knowledge implies subsociality evolved independently in each of these genera.
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