New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Complex display behaviour of Evarcha culicivora, an East
African mosquito-eating jumping spider
Fiona R. Cross1
Robert R. Jackson1,2
Simon D. Pollard3,*
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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