How blood-derived odor influences mate-choice decisions by a mosquito-eating predator.

Evarcha culicivora (Araneae, Salticidae) feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing, as preferred prey, bloodcarrying female mosquitoes. Mutual mate-choice behavior is also pronounced in this species. Here we show that, when E.

Cross-modality effects during male-male interactions of jumping spiders.

An important prediction from game theory is that the value of a resource influences the level to which male-male conflict escalates. Earlier experimental studies have shown that the seven salticid species we study here (Bavia aericeps, Euryattus sp., Hypoblemum albovittatum, Jacksonoides queenslandicus, Marpissa marina, Portia africana and Simaetha paetula) determine by sight whether a female is a conspecific or a heterospecific and then escalate the intensity with which they interact (i.

Influence of optical cues from conspecific females on escalation decisions during male-male interactions of jumping spiders.

An important prediction from game theory is that the value of a resource influences the level to which male-male conflict escalates. An earlier experimental study showed that males of Hypoblemum albovittatum, a common salticid in New Zealand, can discern by sight alone whether a female is in the vicinity and that, having detected a female's presence, males escalate (i.e.

Interpopulation variation in the risk-related decisions of Portia labiata, an araneophagic jumping spider (Araneae, Salticidae), during predatory sequences with spitting spiders.

The extent to which decision-making processes are constrained in animals with small brains is poorly understood. Arthropods have brains much smaller and simpler than those of birds and mammals. This raises questions concerning limitations on how intricate the decision-making processes might be in arthropods.

Opportunistic use of cognitive smokescreens by araneophagic jumping spiders.

Little is known about how a prey species' cognitive limitations might shape a predator's prey-capture strategy. A specific hypothesis is investigated: predators take advantage of times when the prey's attention is focussed on its own prey. Portia fimbriata, an araneophagic jumping spider (Salticidae) from Queensland, is shown in a series of 11 experiments to exploit opportunistically a situation in which a web-building spider on which it preys, Zosis genicularis (Uloboridae), is preoccupied with wrapping up its own prey.

A methodological constraint influencing measurement of food intake rates in sucking predators.

In a number of studies which provide food extraction curves for sucking predators, data were obtained by separating the predator from the prey (i.e. by artificially interrupting feeding) at predetermined intervals within the total feeding time.

Constraints affecting partial prey consumption by a crab spider, Diaea sp. indet. (Araneae: Thomisidae).

The influence of feeding constraints on the feeding behaviour of Diaea sp. indet., was investigated.

Partial consumption of prey: the significance of prey water loss on estimates of biomass intake.

A number of studies on the feeding behaviour of sucking predators have estimated the weight of biomass the predator extracts from the prey by measuring the weight change occurring in the prey. This method does not consider that a proportion of the prey weight change is lost to the immediate environment. I examined the spider Diaea sp.