New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
The natural history of Myrmarachne melanotarsa, a social
ant-mimicking jumping spider
Robert R. Jackson1,2
Ximena J. Nelson1,3,*
Kathryn Salm1
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
3Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour
Macquarie University
Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
*Author for correspondence: ximena.nelson@canterbury.ac.nz.
Abstract Myrmarachne melanotarsa, an ant-like jumping
spider (Salticidae) from East Africa, is an accurate mimic of
Crematogaster
sp. and associates unusually closely with its models.
M. melanotarsa
is remarkable in that it forms dense aggregations and builds large nest
complexes (numerous individually-occupied nests connected to each other
by silk). Other salticids (
Pseudicius spp.,
Menemerus
spp.) live with
M. melanotarsa in the same nest complex. These
aggregations, which can exceed 50 conspecific individuals per colony,
are considerably larger than those few previously described, and seem
to have primarily a protective function. We provide baseline
information on the natural history of
M. melanotarsa, paying
particular attention to predatory behaviour and association with
Crematogaster
sp., and fit this within current theory on the function of sociality in
spiders. Other unusual behaviour of
M. melanotarsa includes
“mouthing”, in which the spider opens and closes its chelicerae while
pressing its mouthparts against nest silk. We investigated the role of
prior presence of
Crematogaster sp. on nest silk in eliciting
this previously unreported behaviour.
Keywords Batesian mimicry;
Crematogaster;
Myrmarachne;
Salticidae; social spiders
Z07052; Online publication date 1 July 2008; Received 23 October 2007;
accepted 8 March 2008
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2008, Vol. 35: 225–235
0301–4223/08/3503–0225 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2008
PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality
(1781K) | screen-quality (473K)
This year's abstracts |
Journal home page |
All abstracts |
Publishing home page
