Imperfect ant mimicry contributes to local adaptation in a jumping spider

Zeng, Hua Chun; Zhang, Dong; Zhang, Zixuan; Gao, Huijiang; Zhang, W.

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.106747

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…These behaviours are assumed to have evolved before morphological mimicry (reviewed by Cushing, 1997) and may be considered adaptations to general ant resemblance. In contrast, species-specific mimetic behaviour (behaviour that is only observed in specific ants and imitated by their mimics) has not been observed in most studies of behavioural ant mimicry (see Ceccarelli, 2008;McLean & Herberstein, 2021;Nelson & Card, 2016;Oliveira, 1988;Shamble et al, 2017;Subramaniam et al, 2021;Zeng et al, 2023). The mimetic behaviour most likely to be described as species-specific was the similar speed of three inaccurate spider mimics and their ant models .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Ant mimicking or myrmecomorph spiders have received considerable attention in studies of evolution through natural selection because they include examples with remarkable morphological adaptations (reviewed by Cushing, 1997;Mclver & Stonedahl, 1993) and are easy to manipulate in laboratory experiments (e.g., Zeng et al, 2023). Experiments have demonstrated that jumping spiders, mantises and mud-dauber wasps avoid ant-resembling spiders while readily preying on non-mimicking spiders (see Subramaniam et al, 2021 for references).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Behavioural adaptations to ant resemblance, such as erratic locomotory patterns, abdomen bobbing and vertical movements of the first or second pair of legs to imitate antennal movements (antennal illusion) (reviewed by Cushing, 1997), are found in spiders with a wide range of accuracy of morphological ant resemblance, also including inaccurate mimics Zeng et al, 2023). These behaviours are assumed to have evolved before morphological mimicry (reviewed by Cushing, 1997) and may be considered adaptations to general ant resemblance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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And the Oscar goes to… – Species‐specific ant behaviour related to predator defence in ant‐mimicking spiders

Perger,

Rubio,

Baigorria

2024

Austral Ecology

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Mimicry, the superficial resemblance between organisms of two or more species, is considered a textbook example for natural selection, for which it is assumed that predators are important selective agents. Ant mimicking spiders have received considerable attention in studies on mimicry because they include examples with remarkable, species‐specific morphological adaptations. Ant‐like behaviours such as erratic locomotory patterns, abdomen bobbing and vertical movements of the first or second pair of legs to imitate antennal movements, are assumed to have evolved before morphological mimicry and may be considered adaptations to general ant resemblance. Species‐specific behavioural ant mimicry (behaviour that is only observed in specific ants and imitated by their mimics) was very rarely documented and ant resembling behaviour that repels predator attacks has not been confirmed yet. In this study we report and discuss such species‐specific behaviour, a spray display (SD), in the castianeirine spiders Myrmecotypus iguazu (a morphologically accurate mimic of the carpenter ant Camponotus sericeiventris), and M. tahyinandu (a morphologically accurate mimic of C. crassus). The SD consisted of the raising of the cephalothorax and moving of the abdomen ventrally under the cephalothorax, pointing the apex forward, and holding the antennae (ant) or first pair of legs (spiders) at an angle of about 45°–120°. The morphological adaptations that are required to perform the SD and the lack of an alternative explanation for the purpose of this display suggest that the SD has evolved to enhance both general behavioural and morphologically accurate ant resemblance. The two observed Myrmecotypus species may be considered the behaviorally most accurate ant‐resembling spiders known to date, as the SD may provide protection against spider‐ and ant‐eating predators at a point in predator interactions where other myrmecomorph spiders may abandon their ant‐resembling behaviour.

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