Phylogeny of Habronattus jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae), with consideration of genital and courtship evolution

Abstract

Abstract. DNA sequences from the mitochondrial (including ND1, 16S) and nuclear (EF-1a) genomes of about ninety-four species were obtained to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships of Habronattus jumping spiders. Maximum parsimony trees were sought with both separate (mitochondrial, nuclear) and combined analyses; maximum likelihood trees were sought with both separate (ND1, 16S, EF-1a introns, EF-1a exons) and combined (mitochondrial, nuclear) analyses. All analyses agreed on some fundamental aspects of the tree, including the monophyly of the previously recognized agilis, amicus, dorotheae and americanus species groups. The deep phylogenetic structure is well resolved, placing the agilis, amicus, tranquillus and dorotheae groups basally. Several other previously unrecognized clades were well supported, including a newly formulated decorus group. The large group of species with modified male first and third legs was supported as monophyletic except for the surprising placement elsewhere of three species of the group. The phenotypic similarities between these three and the others are so detailed and precise that convergence in ornamentation can probably be ruled out. There are hints of phylogenetically distant genetic introgression involving the coecatus group. The combination Habronattus paratus is restored based on the species falling within Habronattus. Regarding patterns of character evolution, there was consistent support for the basal placement of several species groups with a long embolus, suggesting that there were more evolutionary reductions in embolus length than postulated in a previous morphological phylogeny. This is in accord with the expectation that there is a bias to an overly conservative interpretation of a character's evolution if it is interpreted on a phylogeny based in part on that same character. In contrast, the molecular phylogeny did not suggest any instances of the evolutionary transformation of one complex style of courtship into another, a possibility that could have been difficult to detect using the morphological phylogeny because of the same bias to conservativism.

The effect of substrate on the efficacy of seismic courtship signal transmission in the jumping spider Habronattus dossenus (Araneae:Salticidae)

“…This could explain the large diversity observed in seismic signals and signalling mechanisms. Such 'signalling microhabitat' partitioning could also be a mechanism underlying the intense speciation observed in the Habronattus genus (Griswold, 1987;Maddison and Hedin, 2003;Masta and Maddison, 2002). In addition, because courtship in these animals is multimodal and there is a high degree of coordination between visual and seismic signals (Elias et al, 2003), the interaction between signal components in different modalities may be important in microhabitat use and signal design.…”

Molecular Insights Into the Biogeography and Species Status of New Zealand's Endemic Latrodectus Spider Species; L. Katipo and L. Atritus (Araneae, Theridiidae)

“…Moreover, Raven (1992) and Main (1992) suggested that L. hasselti may have only recently been introduced to eastern Australia from South Australia, which would explain the lack of genetic variation between the L. hasselti specimens. Although the ND1 mitochondrial gene region has previously been used to examine intra-specific variation between spider populations (Hedin 1997a;Hedin 1997b;Masta 2000;Johannesen et al 2002;Maddison & Hedin 2003;Masta & Maddison 2002), this gene region did not evolve fast enough to pro-vide the definition required to examine gene flow between populations of L. katipo, L. atritus or L. hasselti. Moreover, the low number of samples examined in this project also made it difficult to gain a definitive view of intraspecific gene flow.…”

“…The ND1 gene region was chosen because it is fast evolving and has been successfully used to examine genetic differences between spider species and populations (Hedin 1997a(Hedin , 1997bMasta 2000;Johannesen et al 2002;Maddison & Hedin 2003;Masta & Maddison 2002;Vink & Paterson 2003).…”

Seismic signals are crucial for male mating success in a visual specialist jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae)

“…Similarly, the interplay of enhanced vision and sexual selection has been implicated in the evolution of courtship displays in the genus Habronattus due to the outstanding degree of complexity and variation in their ornamentation and movement displays (Peckham and Peckham, 1889;Peckham and Peckham, 1890;Masta and Maddison, 2002) as well as their extraordinary morphological and geographical variation (Griswold, 1987;Maddison and McMahon, 2000). Species groups within Habronattus having the most ornaments and the most complex visual displays are also the most species-rich groups (Griswold, 1987;Maddison and Hedin, 2003). This suggests an important role for sexual selection in speciation in this genus McMahon, 2000, Masta, 2000;Masta and Maddison, 2002).…”

“…Habronattus is an extraordinarily diverse genus with over 100 described species in North America alone (Griswold, 1987;Maddison and Hedin, 2003). Like most jumping spiders, members of the Habronattus genus are sexually dimorphic, but unlike typical jumping spiders, Habronattus include some of the most elaborate male ornamentation and visual courtship behaviors (Peckham and Peckham, 1889;Peckham and Peckham, 1890;Griswold, 1987;Maddison and Hedin, 2003). Males perform an elaborate sequence of temporally complex motions of colorful body parts and appendages to their unornamented female counterparts.…”