FUNGAL SPORES AND POLLEN AS POTENTIAL NUTRITIONAL ADDITIVES FOR THE CROSS SPIDER Araneus diadematus Clerck (ARANEAE, ARANEIDAE).

Fiol, Federica Del; Tosi, Solveig; Groppali, Riccardo

doi:10.22370/bolmicol.2007.22.0.132

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Meta ovalis may acquire spores from other arthropods caught in spider webs. Spider webbing outside caves is known to trap fungal spores, including species of Alternaria, Cladosporium , and Fusarium , among other Ascomycota and Basidiomycota [ 58 ], with this potentially contributing to the fungal diversity found on the external surface of spiders. Yoder, et al [ 9 ] sampled 40 freshly killed M. ovalis in a Kentucky cave and commonly cultured Aspergillus sp., Mucor sp., Penicillium sp., and Rhizopus sp., with fewer occurrences of Absidia sp., Beauveria sp., Cladosporium sp., Paecilomyces sp., Trichoderma sp., and sterile morphs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ectomycota Associated with Arthropods from Bat Hibernacula in Eastern Canada, with Particular Reference to Pseudogymnoascus destructans

Vanderwolf

Malloch

McAlpine

2016

Insects

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The introduction of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) to North America, agent of white-nose syndrome in hibernating bats, has increased interest in fungi from underground habitats. While bats are assumed to be the main vector transmitting Pd cave-to-cave, the role of other fauna is unexplored. We documented the fungi associated with over-wintering arthropods in Pd-positive hibernacula, including sites where bats had been recently extirpated or near-extirpated, to determine if arthropods carried Pd, and to compare fungal assemblages on arthropods to bats. We isolated 87 fungal taxa in 64 genera from arthropods. Viable Pd was cultured from 15.3% of arthropods, most frequently from harvestmen (Nelima elegans). Fungal assemblages on arthropods were similar to those on bats. The different fungal assemblages documented among arthropods may be due to divergent patterns of movement, aggregation, feeding, or other factors. While it is unlikely that arthropods play a major role in the transmission dynamics of Pd, we demonstrate that arthropods may carry viable Pd spores and therefore have the potential to transport Pd, either naturally or anthropogenically, within or among hibernacula. This underlines the need for those entering hibernacula to observe decontamination procedures and for such procedures to evolve as our understanding of potential mechanisms of Pd dispersal improve.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ectomycota Associated with Arthropods from Bat Hibernacula in Eastern Canada, with Particular Reference to Pseudogymnoascus destructans

Vanderwolf

Malloch

McAlpine

2016

Insects

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“…The digestive fluid of spiders contains the enzyme chitinase needed to dissolve and digest the chitinous spore cell wall, which explains why spiders can digest fungal spores (Mommsen 1978, 1980; Smith & Mommsen 1984; Nyffeler et al 2016). Spores from many different fungal families (e.g., Botryosphaeriaceae, Davidiellaceae, Helotiaceae, Massarinaceae, Microascaceae, Nectriaceae, Phragmidiaceae, Pleosporaceae, Trichocomaceae, Trichosphaeriaceae, and Venturiaceae) are blown by wind into spider webs (Smith & Mommsen 1984; Linskens et al 1993; Bera et al 2002; Del Fiol et al 2007; Quamar & Chauhan 2011; Nyffeler et al 2016). The spores trapped in spider webs belong to the most common fungal genera one would expect to find in the air (Nyffeler et al 2016).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The spores trapped in spider webs belong to the most common fungal genera one would expect to find in the air (Nyffeler et al 2016). In Italy, Del Fiol et al (2007) found ≈17,000 fungal spores trapped in six orb-webs of the spider A. diadematus (sampled from summer of one year to spring of the next year), leading to the conclusion that fungal spores might be a supplementary non-prey food of some nutritional importance (but see subsection “ What are the nutritional benefits of fungivory and frugivory? ” in Discussion).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungus and fruit consumption by harvestmen and spiders (Opiliones, Araneae): the vegetarian side of two predominantly predaceous arachnid groups

Nyffeler

Machado

Hartmann

et al. 2023

The Journal of Arachnology

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In this review, we report on harvestmen and spiders feeding on fungi, fruits, and seeds. Fungivory in harvestmen is widespread, with most reports referring to tropical species in the family Sclerosomatidae, which consume mainly small forest mushrooms (families Marasmiaceae and Mycenaceae). In contrast, consumption of fungal material by spiders apparently occurs only if airborne spores trapped in the viscid threads of orb-webs (e.g., Araneidae and Tetragnathidae) are ingested along with old webs prior to the construction of new webs. Consumption of fruit pulp by harvestmen is also widespread, with several records of Leiobunum spp. (Sclerosomatidae) feeding on Rubus spp. berries and other lipid-poor fruits in the Holarctic region. In Neotropical forests, harvestmen in the families Cosmetidae and Gonyleptidae feed on lipidpoor pulp of fallen fruits. Among spiders, we document several cases of synanthropic species opportunistically feeding on fruit waste (e.g., pieces of banana, papaya, watermelon, or orange pulp) inside houses or disposed in yards. Only one case of a spider feeding on a wild fruit in the field was found in our search. Finally, we report several cases of harvestmen and spiders feeding on elaiosomes or arils (i.e., lipid-rich seed appendages). In conclusion, harvestmen consume mushrooms, fruit pulp, seeds, and seed appendages more frequently than spiders probably because they are ''solid food feeders'', which means they can ingest solid tissues by biting off small pieces. In turn, spiders are ''fluid feeders'' and feed on vegetable matter most frequently in the form of fluids (e.g., nectar, stigmatic exudate, plant sap, and honey dew), rather than fungal or plant tissues.

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“…Orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae) take down and eat their webs at regular intervals, which enables them to recycle the silk proteins efficiently [ 7 ]. As the webs are not only a snare for arthropods but also trap aerial plankton, orb-weaving spiders may also feed on adhered spores and pollen when recycling their webs [ 4 ]. Ludy & Lang [ 8 ] counted an average of 6.9 pollen grains per cm 2 in the webs of juvenile Araneus diadematus Clerck within a maize field and 2.6 pollen grains per cm 2 web area in the field margin.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They proposed that pollen might be the main food of juvenile orb-weaving spiders, with insects providing only a dietary supplement. Similarly, del Fiol et al [ 4 ] suggested that pollen grains are energetically important during spring when insects are rare.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbivory in Spiders: The Importance of Pollen for Orb-Weavers

Eggs

Sanders

2013

PLoS ONE

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Orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae) are commonly regarded as generalist insect predators but resources provided by plants such as pollen may be an important dietary supplementation. Their webs snare insect prey, but can also trap aerial plankton like pollen and fungal spores. When recycling their orb webs, the spiders may therefore also feed on adhering pollen grains or fungal spores via extraoral digestion. In this study we measured stable isotope ratios in the bodies of two araneid species (Aculepeira ceropegia and Araneus diadematus), their potential prey and pollen to determine the relative contribution of pollen to their diet. We found that about 25% of juvenile orb-weaving spiders’ diet consisted of pollen, the other 75% of flying insects, mainly small dipterans and hymenopterans. The pollen grains in our study were too large to be taken up accidentally by the spiders and had first to be digested extraorally by enzymes in an active act of consumption. Therefore, pollen can be seen as a substantial component of the spiders’ diet. This finding suggests that these spiders need to be classified as omnivores rather than pure carnivores.

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FUNGAL SPORES AND POLLEN AS POTENTIAL NUTRITIONAL ADDITIVES FOR THE CROSS SPIDER Araneus diadematus Clerck (ARANEAE, ARANEIDAE).

Abstract: Prior to make a new cobweb, the Araneus diadematus Clerck cross spider eats its old web regulary everyday. In this paper we issue a quantitative and

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Ectomycota Associated with Arthropods from Bat Hibernacula in Eastern Canada, with Particular Reference to Pseudogymnoascus destructans

Ectomycota Associated with Arthropods from Bat Hibernacula in Eastern Canada, with Particular Reference to Pseudogymnoascus destructans

Fungus and fruit consumption by harvestmen and spiders (Opiliones, Araneae): the vegetarian side of two predominantly predaceous arachnid groups

Herbivory in Spiders: The Importance of Pollen for Orb-Weavers

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