Parasites of spiders: Their impacts on host behavior and ecology

Durkin, Emily S.; Cassidy, Steven T.; Gilbert, Rachel; Richardson, Elise A.; Roth, Allison M.; Shablin, Samantha A.; Keiser, Carl N.

doi:10.1636/joa-s-20-087

Cited by 16 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 186 publications

(234 reference statements)

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“…Spiderlings feeding on the pollen-yeast diet showed a 50% decrease in survival time compared to a group of starved spiderlings (Sunderland et al 1996). As a final remark, we stress that it is currently unknown whether the consumption of fungal spores plays a role in the dynamics of araneopathogenic fungi whose spores are infective propagules (Durkin et al 2021). This would require spores to come into contact with, and adhere to, the host cuticle during consumption, as infection from inside the gut is unlikely (as far as we know).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

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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Section: Discussionmentioning

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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“…Different parasites and parasitoids may modify the behaviour of the spider [ 47 ]. In the case of mermithids there is a report that infected spiders move towards sources of water, where the parasitoids emerge from the bodies of the hosts to complete the life cycle [ 10,12 ].…”

Section: Molecular Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

A new nematode (Mermithidae) and spider (Araneae) associations, along with a molecular analysis of mermithids hosted in the spider

Kostro‐Ambroziak

Jabłońska

Świsłocka

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Mermithid parasitoids are well known to infect spiders, however, their impact on the hosts and their taxonomic identity are still poorly analyzed. We present the first record of a mermithid nematode infection in the spider genera Piratula (Lycosidae) and Coelotes (Agelenidae), and in the species Alopecosa pulverulenta and Pardosa paludicola (Lycosidae). We describe the interesting maldevelopment of the spiders’ female genitalia induced by the parasitoid and summarize the data on the impact of nematode parasitoids on spider development and behaviour. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the 18S rRNA, showed that spider’ parasitoids arose independently in different phylogenetic branches of the family Mermithidae.

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“…Although a larger number of papers on the taxonomy of spider-pathogenic fungi exist, most of these studies are of limited value for the arachnologist because the authors of such studies invariably referred to the spider hosts as "unknown spider". The lack of knowledge of the identity of spider hosts can be explained: 1) by the fact that almost all of these past studies on spider-pathogenic fungi were conducted by mycologists with rather limited interest or expert knowledge regarding the identification of spiders; 2) due to the lack of local experts to correctly identify the host and the difficulties of transferring materials (following Nagoya Protocol and Convention on Biological Diversity) to countries where experts reside oftentimes encountering 'red tape'; and 3) by the extreme difficulty in reliably identifying parasitized spiders whose identifying features are often completely overgrown by the pathogen itself (Evans 2013;Durkin et al 2021;Kozlov 2021;Mendes-Pereira et al 2022). Evans (2013: p. 107) stated with regards to spider-pathogenic fungi "This has been a somewhat neglected topic: typically, a no-man's land between mycologists and arachnologists".…”

Section: Concluding Remarks …………………………………………………………………………mentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of spider families parasitized by fungal pathogens: a global review

Nyffeler

Hywel‐Jones²

2023

Preprint

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In this paper the findings of a global literature and social media survey of spider mycoses are presented. Our survey revealed that spider mycoses occur in the geographic belt between latitude 78° N and 52° S, and that more than 40 out of the known 132 spider families (>30%) are attacked by fungal pathogens. Jumping spiders (Salticidae), cellar spiders (Pholcidae), and sheet web spiders (Linyphiidae) are the families most frequently reported to be attacked by fungal pathogens (combined >40% of all reported cases). Ninety-two percent of the infections of spiders can be attributed to pathogens in the order Hypocreales / phylum Ascomycota (i.e., almost exclusively families Cordycipitaceae and Ophiocordycipitaceae). Within the Hypocreales, the anamorph genusGibellulais an historically species-rich and widespread genus of specific spider-pathogenic fungi. For ≈70 species of spider-pathogenic fungi their hosts could be identified at least to family level. The data presented here reaffirms the findings of previous studies that spider-pathogenic fungi are most common and widespread in tropical and subtropical forested areas, with free-living cursorial hunters (especially Salticidae) being most frequently infected. Free-living cursorial hunters (especially Salticidae) and subterranean cellar spiders (Pholcidae) are the most frequently fungus-infected spiders in North America, whereas web-weavers (especially Linyphiidae and Pholcidae) are the most common spider hosts in Europe. Our survey implies that spider- pathogenic fungi are an important mortality factor of spiders which has hitherto been underestimated.

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Parasites of spiders: Their impacts on host behavior and ecology

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 16 publications

References 186 publications

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

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

A new nematode (Mermithidae) and spider (Araneae) associations, along with a molecular analysis of mermithids hosted in the spider

Diversity of spider families parasitized by fungal pathogens: a global review

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