Division of labor increases with colony size, regardless of group composition, in the social spider Stegodyphus dumicola

摘要: AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWDivision of labor (DOL) is a pattern work organization where individual group members specialize on different tasks. DOL argued to have been instrumental for the success eusocial insects, it scales positively with size both within and across species. Here we evaluate whether in society cooperative breeders (social spiders) this impacted by behavioral composition group. To do engineered experimental colonies contrasting sizes compositions tracked individuals participation two colony maintenance tasks: prey capture web construction. As some found that larger groups exhibited metrics up 10-times greater than smaller groups, conveying particular tasks more colonies. This scalar relationship did not differ composition, though composed only bold spiders reduced relative all-shy or mixed groups. We also per capita capture, but construction, decreased as function size. suggests may save energy reducing their involvement Together, our results convey similar relationships between can emerge inside outside insects. Thus, theory developed understanding societies inform swath animal social diversity broadly appreciated.nnSO_SCPLOWIGNIFICANCEC_SCPLOW SO_SCPLOWTATEMENTC_SCPLOWDivision has major area research insects decades, argues underlie ecological success. Only recently other arthropods, such spiders, considered studies concerning DOL. Given sizes, absence morphological castes, was thought be an important facet spider societies. However, indeed exhibit high degrees correlated size, seen many These findings suggest likely generalizable taxa, show levels division equaling exceeding those systems evaluated date.