| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 2007 |
| Authors: | G. Barrantes, Eberhard W. G. |
| Journal: | Journal of Natural History |
| Volume: | 41 |
| Pagination: | 1631-1658 |
| Date Published: | 2007 |
| ISBN Number: | 0022-2933 |
| Keywords: | Animal constructions, Appendages, Araneae (Arachnida)., Araneae [Silk / / Evolutionary origins of use in prey wrapping, behaviour] [Phylogeny / / Prey wrapping behaviour, Ecology, Evolution, evolutionary origins, Feeding behaviour, General morphology, Nesticidae, Nesticidae (Araneae)., Nutrition, of silk use] [Cocoons / / ]., possible synapomorphy] [Food handling /, Prey wrapping / Involvement of legs IV] [Phylogeny / Synapomorphy / Prey, Silk glands, Synotaxidae, Synotaxidae (Araneae)., Systematics, Theridiidae (Araneae)., Theridiidae [Prosomal legs / Legs IV / Prey, use of legs IV]., wrapping behaviour, wrapping behaviour involvement |
| Abstract: | We traced the evolution of silk use by spiders in attacks on prey by combining previous publications with new observations of 31 species in 16 families. Two new prey-wrapping techniques are described. One, in which the spider holds a tense line (often covered with viscid silk) with both legs IV and applies it to the prey with a simultaneous movement of both legs, may be a synapomorphy linking Theridiidae, Nesticidae, and Synotaxidae. The other, in which the spider stands over the prey and turns in place, is apparently very ancient; it occurs in Theraphosidae, Tengellidae, and Agelenidae. The use of legs IV to wrap prey is described for the first time in Filistatidae and Scytodidae. Using a recent phylogeny of spiders, we propose that prey wrapping with legs IV has evolved convergently at least four times. We propose that prey wrapping originally evolved from egg-sac construction behaviour. |
| URL: | <Go to ISI>://ZOOREC:ZOOR14312075231 |
