Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus
Sexual selection is often studied with a focus on female mate choice, wherein females evaluate male signals to select an optimal mate. However, in some systems, males should also make careful decisions about the females they choose to court, particularly when faced with the risk of precopulatory sex...
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The Royal Society
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.240658 |
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| author | Ellen Humbel Rebecca Kimball Lisa A. Taylor |
| author_facet | Ellen Humbel Rebecca Kimball Lisa A. Taylor |
| author_sort | Ellen Humbel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sexual selection is often studied with a focus on female mate choice, wherein females evaluate male signals to select an optimal mate. However, in some systems, males should also make careful decisions about the females they choose to court, particularly when faced with the risk of precopulatory sexual cannibalism. Here, we explore the idea that male jumping spiders (Habronattus brunneus) may mitigate this risk by responding to female cues probably associated with female aggression and/or receptivity. We tested mature male spiders’ ability to discriminate between substrate-borne cues (i.e. silk and excreta) produced by conspecific females of different ages and mating statuses. We found that males spent more time exploring cues produced by mature, non-mated females compared with either immature females or mated females. Heightened interest in cues produced by females that are sexually mature but not yet mated may allow males to reduce cannibalism risk, reduce wasted courtship effort and increase their reproductive success. The use of chemical and/or tactile cues in jumping spider courtship behaviour has been vastly understudied compared with the ways they use vision; this study provides the groundwork for understanding how these sensory modalities interact. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d8af789d89ff4ca09abdc99d2b74d60e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
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| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-d8af789d89ff4ca09abdc99d2b74d60e2025-08-20T01:47:40ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032024-10-01111010.1098/rsos.240658Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneusEllen Humbel0Rebecca Kimball1Lisa A. Taylor2Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USADepartment of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAEntomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USASexual selection is often studied with a focus on female mate choice, wherein females evaluate male signals to select an optimal mate. However, in some systems, males should also make careful decisions about the females they choose to court, particularly when faced with the risk of precopulatory sexual cannibalism. Here, we explore the idea that male jumping spiders (Habronattus brunneus) may mitigate this risk by responding to female cues probably associated with female aggression and/or receptivity. We tested mature male spiders’ ability to discriminate between substrate-borne cues (i.e. silk and excreta) produced by conspecific females of different ages and mating statuses. We found that males spent more time exploring cues produced by mature, non-mated females compared with either immature females or mated females. Heightened interest in cues produced by females that are sexually mature but not yet mated may allow males to reduce cannibalism risk, reduce wasted courtship effort and increase their reproductive success. The use of chemical and/or tactile cues in jumping spider courtship behaviour has been vastly understudied compared with the ways they use vision; this study provides the groundwork for understanding how these sensory modalities interact.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.240658sexual selectionchemical ecologysexual cannibalismsensory ecologychemoreception |
| spellingShingle | Ellen Humbel Rebecca Kimball Lisa A. Taylor Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus Royal Society Open Science sexual selection chemical ecology sexual cannibalism sensory ecology chemoreception |
| title | Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus |
| title_full | Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus |
| title_fullStr | Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus |
| title_short | Males discriminate between substrate-borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider, Habronattus brunneus |
| title_sort | males discriminate between substrate borne cues of conspecific females based on age and mating status in the jumping spider habronattus brunneus |
| topic | sexual selection chemical ecology sexual cannibalism sensory ecology chemoreception |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.240658 |
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