Prey preferences ofPortia fimbriata,an araneophagic,web-building jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae) from Queensland |
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Authors: | Daiqin Li Robert R Jackson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand |
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Abstract: | Portia fimbriata from Queensland, a previously studied jumping spider (Salticidae), routinely includes web-building spiders and cursorial salticids in its diet, both of these types of prey being dangerous and unusual prey for a salticid. The present paper is the first detailed study ofP. fimbriata's prey preferences. Three basic types of tests of prey preference were used, providing evidence that (1)P. fimbriata males and females prefer spiders (both web-building spiders in webs and salticids away from webs) to insects; (2)P. fimbriata males and females prefer salticids to web-building spiders; (3)P. fimbriata males and females prefer larger spiders to smaller spiders; (4) there are intersexual differences in the preferences ofP. fimbriata for prey size, females preferring larger prey and males preferring smaller prey; and (5)P. fimbriata's prey preferences are not affected by a prior period without food of 2 weeks. When preferences were tested for by using both living, active prey and dead, motionless lures, the same preferences were expressed, indicating thatP. fimbriata can distinguish among different types of prey independent of the different movement patterns of different prey. |
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Keywords: | Portia fimbriata jumping spiders prey preference araneophagic salticids motionless lures |
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