New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Prey-capture techniques and prey preferences of Zenodorus durvillei,
Z. metallescens and Z. orbiculatus, tropical ant-eating jumping
spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) from Australia
ROBERT R. JACKSON
Department of Zoology
University of Canterbury
Christchurch, New Zealand
DAIQIN LI
Department of Biological Sciences
National University of Singapore
Singapore 119260
Abstract Capture techniques and preferences of
Zenodorus
durvillei (Walckenaer),
Z. metallescens (L. Koch) and
Z.
orbiculatus, Australian salticids that feed on ants in nature, were studied
in the laboratory using a wide variety of ants and other insects. Each species
adopted three prey-capture modes: ambush, active pursuit in the open, and
gleaning from spider webs. Large ants were sometimes stabbed several times
before holding on. A variety of methods were used for testing preference. The
potential of using this assortment of methods for assessing strength of
preferences is discussed. Each species took dolichoderine, formicine,
myrmecine, myrmicine and pseudomyrmecine ants in preference to a variety of
other insects (aphids, bugs, caterpillars, crickets, flies, lacewings,
mantises, mayflies, midges, mosquitoes, moths, plant and leaf hoppers, and
termites). Testing with laboratory-reared spiders showed that the development
of preference for ants and ant-specific prey-capture behaviour did not depend
on prior experience with ants. Tests with dead, motionless lures showed that
each species could distinguish between ants and other types of prey independent
of the different movement patterns of the prey. Preferences were intact after
7-day and 14-day fasts, but not after 21-day fasts when prey were outside webs.
When prey were in webs, preference for ants persisted even after 21-day fasts.
Findings are discussed in relation to other studies on specialised salticids
and in relation to the structure and function of the salticid eye.
Keywords Spiders; Zenodorus; Salticidae; ants;
predation; myrmecophagy; prey preferences
Z00038
Received 2 November 2000; accepted 8 May 2001
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2001, Vol. 28: 299-341
0301-4223/01/2803-0299 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New
Zealand 2001
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (2575K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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