Abstract
Male spiders are able to detect and respond to chemical cues deposited by females in the environment. In many species, detection of these chemicals may be the first indication a male has to the presence of a nearby female. In wolf spiders (Lycosidae), which do not produce webs, females leave a trail of silk and chemical cues as they move through the leaf-litter habitat. Males could increase encounter rates with receptive females if they were able to follow these trails. We used behavioral assays to determine whether male Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) wolf spiders are able to detect and respond to cues resulting from a single-pass trail by a female, and whether they are able to determine the direction of female travel. Our focal males responded to virgin adult female trails with following behavior, but showed no propensity to follow trails from other conspecifics (subadult females or males). While males were able to follow a female trail, our observations and analysis indicates that they are not able to determine trail directionality.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.