EVIDENCE OF KIN-SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION IN A TEMPERATE, SUBSOCIAL SPIDER ANELOSIMUS STUDIOSUS (ARANEAE, THERIDIIDAE)

摘要: Sociality in spiders is extremely rare but has evolved repeatedly and found across multiple families, including Theridiidae. Potential benefits of sociality for include the ability to capture larger prey, reduced predation on individuals, individual silk costs. However, there are also potential costs risks, fecundity colonies inbreeding depression. In subsocial spider species, such as Anelosimus studiosus, females typically establish nests solitary individuals raise offspring without aid others. This experiment was designed test evidence kin-specific communication between mother by inducing choice through a Y-branch experiment. Additionally, mother’s production inhibited determine if could occur pheromones deposited with draglines. The results showed significant differences way spiderlings made choices after being exposed draglines from their or an unrelated (p=0.016). chose differently when leaving dragline opposed following incapable producing (p=0.045). These suggest degree that may be mediated Such kin recognition important understanding group cohesion how selection might work create social networks within asocial taxa spiders.