Reproductive isolation between two populations ofAglaoctenus lagotis, a funnel-web wolf spider

Abstract

Aglaoctenus lagotis (Lycosidae: Sosippinae) is a spider that, in contrast to the predominant wandering habit of the family, constructs funnel webs. The species is widely distributed throughout the Neotropics and is credited with high levels of intraspecific variation. Here, we evaluate whether reproductive isolating barriers operate between some populations of A. lagotis. We used heterotypic encounters between individuals from two distant localities: southern Uruguay (SU) and Central Argentina (CA). Additionally, we used spiders from an intermediate locality, western Uruguay (WU), where both forms of the species overlap (SU.WU was used to describe individuals from WU reminiscent of those from SU; and CA.WU was used to describe individuals from WU reminiscent of those from CA). No copulations occurred between SU and CA individuals, whereas a single and atypical copulation occurred between SU.WU and CA.WU individuals. Attacks (only by females on males) were rare. In tests of choice based on silk cues, SU males did not prefer homotypic cues but almost did not court CA females, whereas CA males preferred homotypic cues but usually courted heterotypic females. These findings, with a previously reported temporal asynchrony between populations, suggest the occurrence of reproductive isolation between both spider forms and a speciation process favoured by the wide distribution and plasticity of the species. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 114, 646–658.

Funnel-web construction and estimated immune costs in Aglaoctenus lagotis (Araneae: Lycosidae)

“…The species is widely distributed, from Uruguay to Colombia (Piacentini 2011), being present in different environments (Sordi 1996;Santos & Brescovit 2001). The existence of two forms has been reported within the species, differing from each other at least in sexual behavior (Gonza ´lez et al 2013) and phenology (Gonza ´lez et al 2014), suggesting a divergence process (Gonza ´lez et al 2015). One of the forms 2015.…”

Updates and perspectives on reproductive behavior of South American wolf spiders

“…There is some data about maternal care in Sosippus floridanus Simon, 1898 (Brach 1976), about courtship and copulation in Diapontia uruguayensis Keyserling, 1877 (Aisenberg et al 2011b; Piacentini et al 2017), and Aglaoctenus (South American) is the most-studied genus from this subfamily. Although there is still only fragmentary data on Aglaoctenus oblongus (CL Koch, 1847) (González & Toscano-Gadea 2020), there are several studies on Aglaoctenus lagotis (Holmberg, 1876) (Capocasale 1982; Sordi 1996; Santos & Brescovit 2001; Stefani & Del-Claro 2011; Stefani et al 2011; González et al 2013, 2014, 2015a,b, 2019; González 2018; Abregú et al 2019).…”

“…This species has two distinct “forms” that have been postulated to be different species (González et al 2015b; González et al 2022), with strong differences between their reproductive biology and sexual behavior (González et al 2015b). The southern form (Form I) shows lower population density, shorter sexual period, more synchronous female and male phenology and significantly longer copulations than the northern form (Form II) (González et al 2013, 2014) (Table 1B).…”

Should I stay or should I fly: Aerial dispersal in a funnel‐web wolf spider from the grasslands of southern South America

“…Form II has been recorded in Argentina and Uruguay mostly associated with riparian and hills forests, although in Argentina it can also be observed occupying grasslands. Meanwhile, Form I is a strict inhabitant of grasslands of Uruguay, therefore, so far a range‐restricted endemic species (González et al., 2014; González, Peretti, & Costa, 2015). Although grasslands are predominant in Uruguay, it is a small country of 176,215 km 2 .…”