Factors that affect the occupancy, activity and distribution patterns of Grammostola vachoni, an endemic tarantula from the austral mountains of Argentina

Schwerdt‍, Leonela; Villalobos, Ana Elena de; Pérez‐Miles, Fernando

doi:10.1007/s10841-019-00182-6

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 40 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This species usually inhabits shallow burrows constructed under stones (Ferretti et al, 2011;Schwerdt et al, 2018). These spiders are sedentary, with females occupying the same burrow for many years (Schwerdt et al, 2019). Although adult females and juveniles remain in burrows for most of their life cycle, adult males do not have fixed home ranges and frequently walk during the reproductive period (from October to December) in search for females (Ferretti & Ferrero, 2008;Schwerdt et al, 2018).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Warming is here: using locomotor performance to infer thermal parameters and vulnerability for an endemic Argentinean tarantula Grammostola vachoni

Schwerdt‍

Villalobos

Ferretti

2020

Ecological Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Because of global climate change and its consequences, estimating the physiological responses of ectothermicorganisms to temperature is of high priority. The thermal increase and changes in fire frequency are some of the consequences of global warming, which could challenge the physiological performance and thermal tolerance of individuals.2. The present study estimates the thermal parameters from field individuals of the tarantula Grammostola vachoni. To achieve this, we determined the critical thermal limits for locomotor performance, the thermal optimum, and the preferred temperatures. We also calculate the thermal performance breadth and thermal tolerance zone.3. Temperature strongly affected the locomotor performance of spiders; the sprint speeds were significantly different between temperatures, and at 5 ∘ C and 25 ∘ C the parameter was significantly different between females and juveniles. The preferred temperature showed a mean value of 26.5 ∘ C, and females preferred lower temperature than juveniles. Grammostola vachoni showed a wide thermal tolerance range (close to 43 ∘ C) and thermal performance breadth (B 80 ), an index defined as the range of temperatures at which performance is at least 80% of the maximum.4. For G. vachoni, these large breadths in the sprint speed represent a substantial buffer against future increases in habitat temperature and shows that the locomotor performance of this species is an adaptable parameter. Understanding the impact of warming in performances is important to make predictions about if this species can remain ecologically viable while facing global change, given the massive worldwide declines in arthropod populations.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Warming is here: using locomotor performance to infer thermal parameters and vulnerability for an endemic Argentinean tarantula Grammostola vachoni

Schwerdt‍

Villalobos

Ferretti

2020

Ecological Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…When spiderlings leave their maternal burrow, they typically travel only a few metres and then begin construction of their own burrow (Reichling 2000), where they are thought to remain until maturity. Females show little evidence of leaving their burrow with rare exceptions (Hamilton et al 2012; Shaw et al 2011), with most studies finding that they possibly remain within the one burrow even after reaching sexual maturity, unless disturbed, or only briefly leaving to catch prey and maintain the burrow entrance (Álvarez et al 2016; Schwerdt et al 2019). Nuclear gene flow between populations therefore occurs via the much more mobile adult male tarantulas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the diversity of Australian tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae) using DNA barcoding and iterative species delimitation

Briggs,

Santana,

Raven

et al. 2023

Austral Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae) are one of the most diverse and widespread families of mygalomorph spiders, with over 1000 species recognised globally. While tarantulas can be found across most of mainland Australia, from arid regions to tropical forests, the Australian fauna are not yet well characterised. There are currently only 10 nominal species, up to 8 of which are currently recognised as distinct species. Here, we aim to undertake the first continent‐wide assessment of species diversity of tarantulas in Australia using an iterative, hypothesis‐testing approach. We apply a biological species concept and use DNA sequence data from three independent loci to delimit putative species based on evidence of lack of gene flow. First, we use the mitochondrial DNA marker 16S to identify a set of putative species hypotheses. We then test each hypothesis under the expectations of neotypy, allotypy and allophyly using two independent nuclear loci, EF1γ and 28S rRNA. Genealogically exclusive lineages are inferred using haplotype networks for each nuclear locus, interpreted to represent non‐interbreeding entities and hence represent distinct biological species. We find evidence for there being at least 20 distinct biological species of tarantula in Australia, with the highest species richness in northern Australia. Our results are in line with other DNA‐based studies of Australian mygalomorphs that have uncovered undescribed species diversity. Given the low number of samples included here, there is likely to be an even greater species diversity of tarantulas in Australia.

show abstract

“…Conversely, large distance migrations in mature males (Janowski-bell & Horner, 1975) and juvenile mass movements (Magnusson, 1985;Reichling, 2000) have been reported in theraphosids. Grammostola vachoni is a large theraphosid spider, whose males can walk over 1.5 km during the reproductive period searching for females, and thus promoting gene flow among distant populations (Schwerdt et al, 2019). These spiders can also move away from their burrows, either exploring for prey, induced by disturbances, or stimulated by intraspecific competition (Schwerdt et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grammostola vachoni is a large theraphosid spider, whose males can walk over 1.5 km during the reproductive period searching for females, and thus promoting gene flow among distant populations (Schwerdt et al, 2019). These spiders can also move away from their burrows, either exploring for prey, induced by disturbances, or stimulated by intraspecific competition (Schwerdt et al, 2019). The medium‐sized tarantula Plesiopelma longisternale shows an intermediate condition since females construct deep burrows covered with abundant silk (Ferretti, Pompozzi, et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Same place, different stories: Disparate evolutionary trends of mygalomorph spiders from the Peripampasic orogenic arc

Calatayud-Mascarell

Ferretti

Enguidanos

et al. 2022

Journal of Biogeography

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim Comparative phylogeography aims to unravel similarities in the population structure and evolutionary processes undergone by co‐distributed taxa, under the assumption that they will have experienced the same geoclimatic events. However, small differences in functional traits, particularly those related to dispersal abilities, may translate into incongruent evolutionary histories. Here, we used a sequence target multi‐locus approach to infer and compare the phylogeographical patterns of three sympatric mygalomorph spiders in the Argentinean Peripampasic orogenic arc. Location The mountainous systems of central and northern Argentina. Taxon Acanthogonatus centralis, Grammostola vachoni and Plesiopelma longisternale (Araneae: Mygalomorphae). Methods We inferred mitochondrial gene trees (16S + L1 + nad1) and nuclear (ITS2) networks of three species of mygalomorph spiders from 159 individuals using Bayesian and Maximum likelihood approaches, and estimated divergence times in a Bayesian framework. Based on our time‐stamped gene trees, we reconstructed ancestral areas using the Bayesian Binary MCMC method. Results Deeply divergent and highly geographically structured populations, isolated since the Late Miocene to mid Pliocene, were obtained in the pycnothelid Acanthogonatus centralis. Conversely, the theraphosids Plesiopelma longisternale and Grammostola vachoni showed slightly divergent and poorly geographically structured populations, tracing back to the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene. Main conclusions We propose that differences in dispersion rates and time of colonization between the theraphosids and the pycnothelid species led to divergent lineage history despite common environmental conditions. We corroborate the key role played by the Plio‐Pleistocene geoclimatic events in shaping the present‐day diversity of mygalomorph spiders along the Peripampasic orogenic arc. Additionally, we uncovered potentially overlooked species diversity within G. vachoni.

show abstract

Factors that affect the occupancy, activity and distribution patterns of Grammostola vachoni, an endemic tarantula from the austral mountains of Argentina

Cited by 10 publications

References 40 publications

Warming is here: using locomotor performance to infer thermal parameters and vulnerability for an endemic Argentinean tarantula Grammostola vachoni

Warming is here: using locomotor performance to infer thermal parameters and vulnerability for an endemic Argentinean tarantula Grammostola vachoni

Assessing the diversity of Australian tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae) using DNA barcoding and iterative species delimitation

Same place, different stories: Disparate evolutionary trends of mygalomorph spiders from the Peripampasic orogenic arc

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About