Posture controls mechanical tuning in the black widow spider mechanosensory system

摘要: Abstract Spiders rely on mechanical vibration sensing for sexual signalling, prey capture and predator evasion. The sensory organs underlying detection, called slit sensilla, resemble cracks in the spider’s exoskeleton, are distributed all over spider body. Those crucial to web- other substrate-borne vibrations lyriform densely around leg joints. It has been shown that forces cause bending at joints also activate these organs. Little is known of how biomechanics body a freely-suspended its natural posture interact with introduced into this affects perception. Female black widow spiders, particular, have striking body-form; their long thin legs support large pendulous abdomen. Here, we show posture, abdominal mass females, interacts spring-like behaviour determines different Furthermore, find adopting postures enables females alter both level tuning input Therefore, suggest may be used flexibly reversibly focus attention classes or components web vibration. Postural effects thus emphasize dynamic loop interactions between perception, i.e. ‘brain’