No abstract

Anti‐predator defence behaviour of Holocnemus pluchei (Araneae, Pholcidae) was studied in the laboratory and the field. Bouncing, in which this web‐building spider moves its body rapidly up and down while keeping its legs on the silk, was the most frequent response to disturbance. Less often, H. pluchei left the web when disturbed. Experiments were carried out to determine the types of stimuli that elicited bouncing and leaving the web: tactile stimulation (striking the spider with a brush) and air movement (blowing on the spider) elicited bouncing and leaving the web, but there was no evidence that chemical stimuli from potential predators were important. Tactile stimulation elicited stronger responses than air movement. There were no evident differences in how H. pluchei responded to tactile stimulation in the laboratory and the field.

With 1 figure in the text) Anti-predator defence behaviours of Psilochorus sphaeroides from Queensland and Smeringopus pallidus from Sri Lanka were studied in the laboratory. Whirling, in which these web-building pholcid spiders move their bodies rapidly around in circles, with legs remaining on the silk, is the most frequent response of adults to disturbance. Experiments were carried out to determine what types of stimuli elicited whirling. Forceful tactile and air movement stimuli elicited whirling, but there was no evidence that chemical stimuli from potential predators were important. Tactile stimulation was more effective than air movement. The behaviour of these pholcids was compared to that of a cosmopolitan pholcid, Pholcus phalangioides.