New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts

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Complex display behaviour of Evarcha culicivora, an East African mosquito-eating jumping spider

Fiona R. Cross¹

Robert R. Jackson^1,2

Simon D. Pollard^3,*

¹School of Biological Sciences
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140, New Zealand

²International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE)
Thomas Odhiambo Campus
PO Box 30
Mbita Point, Kenya

³Canterbury Museum
Rolleston Avenue
Christchurch 8013, New Zealand

^*Corresponding author: simon.pollard@canterbury.ac.nz

Abstract Evarcha culicivora, an East African jumping spider (Salticidae), is an unusual predator because it feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as preferred prey. It also associates with particular plant species, Lantana camara and Ricinus communis. Here we document this species’ exceptionally complex display repertoire. In common with many other salticids, E. culicivora exhibits pronounced courtship versatility, with males using different tactics depending on the female’s location and state of maturity. However, in contrast to most other salticids that have been studied, the males and the females of E. culicivora are both active at initiating and sustaining courtship, and both sexes are cannibalistic. Contrary to the emphasis in the literature on female spiders eating males, females of E. culicivora run a higher risk of being killed by males than vice versa ­during courtship. E. culicivora males also differ from other salticids that have been studied by adopting pronounced copulatory courtship. Male-female interactions of E. culicivora are especially complex when encounters are in the foliage of L. camara and R. communis.

Keywords    copulatory courtship; courtship; Salticidae; sexual cannibalism; spiders

Z07047; Online publication date 12 May 2008; Received 25 September 2007; accepted 23 February 2008

New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2008, Vol. 35: 151–187
0301–4223/08/3502–151 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2008

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