Affiliation:
1. Fachbereich Biologie Universität Hamburg Hamburg Germany
2. Museum of Nature Hamburg – Zoology Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) Hamburg Germany
3. Australian Reptile Park Somersby NSW Australia
4. College of Science and Engineering Flinders University Adelaide SA Australia
5. Department of Biological Sciences (E8C 209) Macquarie University Sydney NSW Australia
Abstract
AbstractSpiders have become a model group for sexual selection and mating system studies, but our understanding of courtship behavior in the group is heavily biased towards the infraorder Araneomorphae (‘modern’ spiders, such as orb weavers, jumping spiders, wolf spiders, crab spiders and many more). In the Mygalomorphae (tarantulas, trapdoor spiders, funnel‐web spiders and relatives), only a few descriptions of courtship are available and recent developments in the phylogenetics of the group offer an opportunity to remap and investigate the evolution of mating behaviors. Using 81 trials filmed in captivity, we report on the courtship behaviors of the iconic Sydney funnel‐web spider (Atracidae: Atrax robustus), which belongs to a large clade of biologically understudied mygalomorphs. Thirteen distinct behaviors are described for males, out of which at least two seem new to mygalomorphs, while four female behaviors are described. Moreover, the sequences of male behaviors are presented for when they come into contact with females inside or outside of their burrows. The mating positions of the pair, including details of how males use their legs and clasping spurs to grasp the females, are also presented. We discuss our results in a modern phylogenetic context, filling a gap in the understanding of sexual selection in the Mygalomorphae where such studies are rare and biased towards tarantulas. Finally, we attempt to consolidate descriptions of potentially homologous behaviors from several families in the group and offer insights into the evolution of cannibalism, male clasping spurs and female catalepsis (quiescence while mating).
Funder
National Geographic Society
Australian Geographic Society
Subject
Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
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