2种织圆网蜘蛛个体大小与蛛网粘丝区面积间关系

在不惊扰蜘蛛的情况下对悦目金蛛Argiope amoena和圆尾肖蛸Tetragnatha vermiformis的个体大小与蛛网粘丝区面积问的相关性进行了野外观察。主要测量了蜘蛛体长、蛛网粘丝区直径、蛛网框丝固着点间最大距离、网中枢到地面或水面距离、网平面与水平线的夹角等参数;另外还对蛛网框丝固着点间最大距离作为圆网蛛网址选择行为量化指标的可行性进行了探讨。结果表明,2种蜘蛛体长与蛛网粘丝区面积以及蜘蛛体长与蛛网框丝固着点间最大距离均呈现明显的正相关。悦目金蛛体长与蛛网粘丝区面积的相关性高于圜尾肖蛸,这可能与悦目金蛛在其生境中易于找到框丝固着点、而圆尾肖蛸在其生境中较难找到框丝同着点有关;     

漫话蜘蛛

从蜘蛛的生物学特性、蛛网与蛛丝、蜘蛛捕食、蜘蛛的婚配与生殖和蜘蛛毒液的应用几方面概述了蜘蛛生物学的研究进展。     

不同体重悦目金蛛的蛛网结构

蛛网是蜘蛛的捕食工具,其结构反映了蜘蛛的捕食投入和捕食策略。对不同大小悦目金蛛(Argiope amoena)的蛛网捕丝长度、捕丝间距、捕食面面积、支持带总面积、半径丝根数和网捕丝分布不对称性等进行观测。结果表明①在体重小于200mg的个体中,捕丝长度、捕丝间距和捕食面面积与个体大小呈显著正相关,而大于200mg的个体中,这种关系并不显著;②蜘蛛在发育到一定程度的时候(在本研究中为22.7mg)才可能出现支持带,并且支持带总面积与体重之间呈显著正相关;③半径丝根数会随体重的增加而减少;④在小于200mg的蜘蛛中,网上、下部捕丝长度比与体重呈显著负相关,而在大于200mg的个体中,二者之间的关系并不显著。这与我们预测的结果是基本一致的,即蛛网的这种结构变化是蜘蛛不同发育阶段捕食投入和捕食策略的反应。     

悦目金蛛拖牵丝力学性能的变异

蜘蛛丝作为一种具有优良机械性能的天然动物蛋白纤维,其特有的结构和机械性能与其生物学功能密切相关。由大壶状腺纺出的拖牵丝在蜘蛛的行走、建网、捕食、逃生、繁殖等多种生命活动中均发挥了重要的功能,其机械性能会受到多种内外因素相互作用的影响。本文对在不同体重、不同猎物饲养和不同营养状态3种条件下人工抽出的悦目金蛛(Argiope amoena)拖牵丝与其不同单丝间的力学性能进行了比较研究。结果表明,悦目金蛛拖牵丝的力学性能在组间、组内不同个体,以及同一个体不同丝纤维间变异都较大。随着蜘蛛个体的增大,蛛丝横截面直径逐渐增大,这会使得蛛丝的力学性能更好,便于作为救命索的拖牵丝在遇到危险时承受蜘蛛体重;蜘蛛在经过1个月的饥饿后,蛛丝在屈服点附近的力学性能并未发生显著变化,而断裂点应变和断裂能均显著减小,同时也表明无论对于作为救命索还是网丝,拖牵丝的弹性形变性能在与蛛丝相关的微观进化中要优先于塑性形变。这是蜘蛛在能量摄入受到限制时对拖牵丝的投入权衡的结果。     

棒络新妇和悦目金蛛拖丝超微结构与力学行为

采用SEM对棒络新妇Nephila clavata腹部向上和向下在水平纱窗上爬行时纺出的拖丝、悦目金蛛Argiope amoena捕食拖丝与垂直向下缓慢纺出的拖丝及其圆网的铆钉丝进行了超微结构观察,采用电子单纤强力仪对棒络新妇拖丝与悦目金蛛圆网铆钉丝进行了力学拉伸试验.结果 表明棒络新妇和悦目金蛛拖丝均呈现出一至多根细丝纤维的多样化超微结构特征,其中悦目金蛛圆网铆钉丝还呈现出"S"形似弹簧的结构.两种蜘蛛丝的力学行为和性能与各自的功能要求相一致.蜘蛛能调节拖丝的超微结构、纤维组成和直径大小以适应其在不同环境条件下对力学性能和功能的瞬时需要.研究结果有助于拓宽和加深人们对蜘蛛丝超微结构、力学性能与生物学功能之间关系的认识和理解.     

蛛网结构性能及其适应性

蛛网是蜘蛛的捕食工具,蛛网的结构性能不仅影响蜘蛛的捕食效率,也关系着蜘蛛的捕食投入。在不同的内外环境条件影响下,蜘蛛会通过蛛网结构性能上的相应变化来调整捕食策略和维持网结构的稳定性。本文主要综述了蛛网的结构性能以及蜘蛛通过蛛网结构性能表现出的对环境因子的适应性。     

棒络新妇和悦目金蛛丝腺形态初步观察

研究比较了结网型蜘蛛棒络新妇Nephila clavata和悦目金蛛Argiope amoena的丝腺形态特征,为国内蜘蛛丝腺蛋白的研究提供原始的丝腺解剖图,同时结合对2种蜘蛛卵袋的解剖、网的特征和室内捕食黄粉虫Tenebrio molitor幼虫行为的观察比较,探讨了2种蜘蛛丝腺的生物学功能与其生存繁殖策略之间的关系。本文分别观察描述了棒络新妇和悦目金蛛的大壶状腺、小壶状腺、鞭状腺、柱状腺、葡萄状腺和梨状腺共6种丝腺。2种蜘蛛丝腺形态特征基本相似;部分丝腺在形态结构和颜色上有些差异;悦目金蛛的葡萄状腺比棒络新妇发达。观察表明2种蜘蛛的网和卵袋特征差异较大,两者捕食策略也不同,棒络新妇采用咬一捆缚（Bit—Wrapping）策略,悦目金蛛则采用捆缚一咬（Wrapping-Bit）策略。棒络新妇和悦目金蛛的网和卵袋特征与丝腺的颜色相一致。同时,其葡萄状腺数量和大小与其各自的捕食策略相关。     

不同体重肩斑银鳞蛛和大腹园蛛圆网的结构特征

对在自然条件下不同体重肩斑银鳞蛛Leucauge blanda和大腹园蛛Araneus ventricosus所织圆网的结构特征进行测量研究.结果表明:体重小于35.1 mg的肩斑银鳞蛛所织圆网的捕丝长度、捕食面面积、捕丝间距和半径丝根数均与个体体重呈显著正相关,而体重大于35.1 mg的个体中,这种关系并不显著,但其圆网的上、下部捕丝长度比与体重呈显著负相关,即圆网随个体的体重增加而表现出更强的不对称性;体重小于144.9 mg的大腹园蛛所织圆网的捕丝长度和捕食面面积均与个体体重呈显著正相关,体重小于103.8 mg的大腹园蛛所织圆网的半径丝根数与个体体重呈显著正相关,而大于这一体重分界值的个体中,这种关系同样不显著.大腹园蛛圆网的平均捕丝间距与体重未呈现出相关关系,体重大于85.4 mg的个体中,其网的上、下部捕丝长度比与体重呈显著负相关.两种蜘蛛圆网结构特征的变化及圆网结构特征与个体体重关系变化的不同体重分界值,可能反映了它们在不同生境下不同生长阶段的捕食投入与捕食策略.     

机敏异漏斗蛛不同感觉对捕食和趋向行为的影响

【目的】蜘蛛的感觉在发现猎物和捕食过程中起重要作用,研究机敏异漏斗蛛Allagelena difficilis(Fox)的不同感觉对其捕食和趋向行为的影响,有助于揭示影响漏斗蛛捕猎的主要感觉因素及其机制。【方法】视觉屏蔽法、"Y"型嗅觉仪法、去除蛛网法等方法。【结果】视觉和嗅觉对机敏异漏斗蛛的捕食量和趋向行为无显著影响,但蛛网的存在对其捕食量影响明显:视觉屏蔽与未屏蔽的机敏异漏斗蛛24 h捕食黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster Meigen量分别为25.20头/管和26.00头/管,两者之间差异不显著;嗅觉测试发现,在不同的气流条件下,机敏异漏斗蛛停留、选择有猎物管臂和对照管臂的数量之间差异均不显著;另外,该蛛在无蛛网情况下也可捕食,但捕食量极低,与已结网蛛之间的捕食量差异极显著(P<0.01),随着蛛网的修复,两者之间捕食量差距逐渐减小,至24 h时,两者捕食量相近。【结论】机敏异漏斗蛛主要通过机械感觉线索感受蛛网振动、听觉以及猎物的直接碰触发现和捕获猎物,视觉和嗅觉对其捕食行为影响不明显。     

三种类型蜘蛛丝的结构及生物学功能

利用付里叶变换红外光谱仪(FFIR)对棒络新妇(Nephila clavata)、悦目金蛛(Argiope amoena)的大壶状腺丝(拖丝)、悦目金蛛的捕丝(粘性螺旋丝)和卵袋丝这3种不同类型蜘蛛丝的二级结构进行了测试研究。结果表明：蜘蛛丝同时包含无规则卷曲、α-螺旋和β-折叠构象;对这3种蛛丝的红外光谱进行比较表明同一蜘蛛的不同类型蛛丝所含的这3种二级结构的比例不同,这种不同组成的二级结构就赋予了蜘蛛丝不同的特性,这种特性又与其不同的功能相适应。此外,还用扫描电镜(SEM)和光学显微镜对悦目金蛛和小悦目金蛛(A．minuta)的拖丝和捕丝做了形态结构观察。蜘蛛丝这种天然动物蛋白纤维所具有的特殊的形态结构、蛋白质二级结构与其特殊的性能和生物学功能是高度一致的。     

Group predatory behavior by the assassin bugAgriosphodrus dohrni Signoret (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

Nymphs of Agriosphodrus dohrniSignoret (Reduviidae) have a strong gregariousness and show group predatory behavior. This study was conducted to clarify adaptive significance of group predation of this species, including laboratory observations and 6-year field surveys. In the laboratory, observations on both solitary and group attacking against armyworms were made at varying prey size classes to compare the capture success rate by solitary predators with that by groups. The efficiency in capturing the prey was significantly higher in group attacking at any prey size class compared. Data obtained from the field surveys indicated the tnedency for searching nymphs to feed in group and to increase the number of predators feeding per prey item with increasing prey size. Average sizes of prey captured were also larger in group feeding throughout the nymphal stage. In particular, it was remarkable that, when prey were “creeping” types, the upper size limit of prey eaten was dramatically increased.     

An experimental study on the foraging behavior of a pit-building antlion larva,Myrmeleon bore

Foraging behavior of a pit-building antlion larva, Myrmeleon boreTjeder was investigated experimentally to elucidate the relation between the feeding level and pit relocation.

1. In artificial sands constructed in the field the 3rd instar larvae of M. bore rarely changed the positions of their pits, though several antlions had moved actively until they constructed pits. The average feeding rate was 0.3 prey/day/pit, and about 60% of prey captured were ants.
2. To examine whether or not M. bore larvae concentrate into the area where they can capture more prey, 8 antlions were released into each of 6 boxes filled with sand. I divided the sand surface of each box into two half areas, then gave prey to the pits built in a half area and gave no prey to the pits built in the other half. During the 50-day observation period, nonfed antlions never moved into the area where prey were given.
3. The 3rd instar larvae were reared separately without food. Even under starved conditions they rarely relocated their pits until dealth. The average duration of survival period was 83.9 days.
4. The experimental results indicate that M. bore larvae adopt a tactic of sedentary ambushing. These larvae exhibit low movement rates which are independent of prey capture rates.

     

The biocontrol potential of Philodromus (Araneae,Philodromidae) spiders for the suppression of pome fruit orchard pests

A number of different generalist (polyphagous) predators occur in agroecosystems. Yet their biocontrol potential has been little investigated in detail. Philodromus species (Philodromidae) belong to the dominant spider species occurring in commercial orchards. We studied in detail the trophic functional traits of Philodromus albidus, Philodromus aureolus, and Philodromus cespitum (Philodromidae) by means of (1) the analysis of natural prey; and (2) experiments on acceptance of a variety of prey taxa. We found that the three philodromids are euryphagous. We classified prey species into three categories according to their function in the orchard: beneficial species, indifferent species, and pests. Philodromid spiders captured mostly other spiders in the field because spiders were most available. As concerns pests, the philodromids preyed mostly on Brachycera and Sternorrhyncha. They selected Acari and Brachycera. Indifferent species, such as Collembola and Nematocera, were also highly selected. In the laboratory, philodromids accepted mostly pests, such as lepidopterans, brachycerans, and aphids, while other spiders were accepted the least. The three philodromids have differentiated trophic niches with respect to prey size not only in the adult stage but throughout their ontogenetic development: P. albidus utilized smaller prey than the other two species. We conclude that the philodromids have a potential as biocontrol agents because they prey mostly on pests but their predation pressure is reduced due to higher selectivity for the indifferent fauna.     

Prey availability affects territory size,but not territorial display behavior,in green anole lizards

The availability of food resources can affect the size and shape of territories, as well as the behaviors used to defend territories, in a variety of animal taxa. However, individuals within a population may respond differently to variation in food availability if the benefits of territoriality vary among those individuals. For example, benefits to territoriality may differ for animals of differing sizes, because larger individuals may require greater territory size to acquire required resources, or territorial behavior may differ between the sexes if males and females defend different resources in their territories. In this study, we tested whether arthropod abundance and biomass were associated with natural variation in territory size and defense in insectivorous green anole lizards, Anolis carolinensis. Our results showed that both male and female lizards had smaller territories in a habitat with greater prey biomass than lizards in habitats with less available prey, but the rates of aggressive behaviors used to defend territories did not differ among these habitats. Further, we did not find a relationship between body size and territory size, and the sexes did not differ in their relationships between food availability and territory size or behavioral defense. Together, these results suggest that differences in food availability influenced male and female territorial strategies similarly, and that territory size may be more strongly associated with variation in food resources than social display behavior. Thus, anole investment in the behavioral defense of a territory may not vary with territory quality.     

Prey susceptibilities,prey utilization and variable attack efficiencies of Ural owls

Summary To investigate the factors that influence prey utilization among predators with active prey, three series of experiments were performed in which Ural owls (Strix uralensis) searched for and attacked three prey species of wild mice, Microtus montebelli, Apodemus speciosus, and A. argenteus, in a large flight cage. Over the whole study, owls attacked mice about ten times a night. The number of attacks on each prey species did not differ from that predicted by a random attack model. M. montebelli was taken more than either Apodemus species. Prey utilization appears to be influenced by prey susceptibilities only and it is unlikely that prey selection by the owls affected prey utilization patterns. Under the experimental conditions, random attack is predicted by optimal foraging theory. However, random attack may be explained just as well by the inability of the owl to discriminate prey type. The owls, energy gain was adjusted not by alteration in the number of attacks on a prey species but rather by alteration in the capture success between experiments. Capture success increased in poor food conditions for the same prey species. This flexibility in capture success has not been considered in the assumptions of optimal foraging theory. In conventional optimal foraging theory, the probability of capture success is implicitly assumed as constant and unity. We suggest that this assumption is inadequate to understand the foraging behavior of owls.     

Response of predators to prey abundance: separating the effects of prey density and patch size

We tested the relative and combined effects of prey density and patch size on the functional response (number of attacks per unit time and duration of attacks) of a predatory reef fish (Cheilodactylus nigripes (Richardson)) to their invertebrate prey. Fish attacked prey at a greater rate and for longer time in large than small patches of prey, but large patches had naturally greater densities of prey. We isolated the effects of patch size and prey density by reducing the density of prey in larger patches to equal that of small patches; thereby controlling for prey density. We found that the intensity at which fish attacked prey (combination of attack rate and duration) was primarily a response to prey density rather than the size of patch they occupied. However, there was evidence that fish spent more time foraging in larger than smaller patches independent of prey density; presumably because of the greater total number of prey available. These experimental observations suggest that fish can distinguish between different notions of prey abundance in ways that enhance their rate of consumption. Although fish may feed in a density dependent manner, a critical issue is whether their rate of consumption outstrips the rate of increase in prey abundance to cause density dependent mortality of prey.     

Size-selective foraging behaviour of blue crabs,Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun), when feeding on mobile prey: Active and passive components of predation

Size-selective predation by small (30-50 mm carapace width) and large (90-110 mm) Callinectes sapidus when feeding on three different size classes of Litopenaeus setiferus was investigated. Laboratory experiments using no-choice and multiple-choice designs were carried out. Active and passive components of predation were evaluated by comparing the probability of attacking (active) and capturing (passive) shrimp. Small C. sapidus consumed shrimp of all size classes in similar frequencies during multiple and no-choice experiments, and the probability of attacking and capturing shrimp of all size classes was similar. Large crabs consumed large shrimp with a significantly higher frequency during multiple than during no-choice experiments, and the probability of capturing large shrimp was significantly higher than medium and small ones. Results in the present study suggest that size-specific consumption rates of C. sapidus are mainly the result of a passive mechanism associated with the salience of shrimp to predation. However, an active component of foraging behaviour related to the decision to attack an alternative prey whilst consuming one that has already been captured, helps to explain the differences in shrimp consumption between multiple and no-choice experiments. The complex interaction between active, passive components and satiation is discussed.