Flying sand-dwelling spiders: aerial dispersal in Allocosa marindia and Allocosa senex (Araneae: Lycosidae)

摘要: Aerial dispersal in spiders or ballooning is typically considered to occur during the day by juvenile instars small-sized adults. Allocosa marindia Simo, Lise, Pompozzi & Laborda, 2017 and senex (Mello-Leitao, 1945) are two nocturnal wolf that inhabit coastal sandy beaches of South America. As mothers both species emerge from burrows night disperse spiderlings, we expected aerial spiderlings could period. Our aim was test occurrence under laboratory conditions, using as a positive control, spider Schizocosa malitiosa (Tullgren, 1905). We examined behavior once-molted A. marindia, S. malitiosa, diurnal recording observations container with grasses sand substrate. exposed air flow recorded occurrences climbing grass, dropping on dragline tip-toeing (pre-ballooning behaviors). The three performed pre-ballooning behaviors but also night, these varied within among species. More events were observed than night. However, found differences number according time day. discuss possibility microhabitat conditions affect propensity particularly spiders.