Sexual behavior of Diplura macrura and Ischnothele annulata (Araneae: Mygalomorphae): further evidence of diplurid polyphyly

Ghirotto, Victor Morais; Guadanucci, José Paulo Leite

doi:10.1636/joa-s-19-006

Cited by 2 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Our ethograms are simplified visualizations of the sequences of male behaviors, given that the videos we used were usually short. Nevertheless, we found that A. robustus exhibited complex courtship behavior, similarly to the behavioral repertoires described for other mygalomorphs (Ferretti et al., 2013; Ghirotto & Guadanucci, 2021). Tactile, seismic and vibratory signals are the most obvious channels of sexual communication in the group.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Regarding male behaviors, while the female is quiescent, we observed small movements of the male's palps that seem to rub against the ventral surface of the female's abdomen. This seemed part of the insertion behavior however, and different to the palpal boxing described previously as touches from the males' palps on the female's sternum (Ferretti et al, 2011(Ferretti et al, , 2012(Ferretti et al, , 2013Ghirotto & Guadanucci, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…This has been described as 'hugging' in D. macrura (Dipluridae) and interpreted as providing pair stability. The authors suggested this as a synapomorphy of the Crassitarsae (Ghirotto & Guadanucci, 2021) but noted that P. antipodiana (Porrhothelidae) males also perform hugging (Jackson & Pollard, 1990), and neither Porrhothelidae nor Atracidae belong to this clade.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The way A. robustus males clasp females seems consistent with hugging, but the position of legs II is more similar to how M. calpeiana (Snazell & Allison, 1989) and H. formidabilis (Scott, 1980) males (both with leg II claspers) hug females, with legs II articulating downwards and on the female legs. Meanwhile, species with claspers on legs I, such as D. macrura (Ghirotto & Guadanucci, 2021) and P. antipodiana (Jackson & Pollard, 1990), hug females using legs II, but articulating them forward/towards each other and wrapping them around the female's cephalothorax. It is possible that hugging and the evolution of clasping spurs associated with it (on legs II) are under sexual selection, which would also be more consistent with the species-specific forms of those spurs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mating behaviors of the Mygalomorphae are better understood, and some detailed descriptions of courtship have been published for a few species and families: Mecicobothrium thorelli (Mecicobothriidae, Costa & P erez-Miles, 1998), Thelechoris striatipes and Ischnothele annulata (Ischnothelidae, Coyle & O'Shields, 1990;Ghirotto & Guadanucci, 2021), Microhexura montivaga (Microhexuridae, Coyle, 1985), Australothele jamiesoni (Euagridae, Raven, 1988), Porrhothele antipodiana (Porrhothelidae, Jackson & Pollard, 1990), Acanthogonatus centralis and Xenonemesia platensis (Pycnothelidae, Ferretti et al, 2012Ferretti et al, , 2011 and Diplura macrura (Dipluridae, Ghirotto & Guadanucci, 2021). The tarantulas (Theraphosidae) are probably the group with the most studies on mating behavior, with information available for Plesiopelma longisternale, Eupalaestrus weijenberghi, Acanthoscurria cordubensis, Aphonopelma hentzi, Avicularia avicularia and Brachypelma klaasi (Ferretti et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mating behavior of the Sydney funnel‐web spider (Atracidae:Atrax robustus) and implications for the evolution of courtship in mygalomorph spiders

Frank

Christensen²,

Lourenço

et al. 2023

Journal of Zoology

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Spiders have become a model group for sexual selection and mating system studies, but our understanding of courtship behavior in the group is heavily biased towards the infraorder Araneomorphae ('modern' spiders, such as orb weavers, jumping spiders, wolf spiders, crab spiders and many more). In the Mygalomorphae (tarantulas, trapdoor spiders, funnel-web spiders and relatives), only a few descriptions of courtship are available and recent developments in the phylogenetics of the group offer an opportunity to remap and investigate the evolution of mating behaviors. Using 81 trials filmed in captivity, we report on the courtship behaviors of the iconic Sydney funnel-web spider (Atracidae: Atrax robustus), which belongs to a large clade of biologically understudied mygalomorphs. Thirteen distinct behaviors are described for males, out of which at least two seem new to mygalomorphs, while four female behaviors are described. Moreover, the sequences of male behaviors are presented for when they come into contact with females inside or outside of their burrows. The mating positions of the pair, including details of how males use their legs and clasping spurs to grasp the females, are also presented. We discuss our results in a modern phylogenetic context, filling a gap in the understanding of sexual selection in the Mygalomorphae where such studies are rare and biased towards tarantulas. Finally, we attempt to consolidate descriptions of potentially homologous behaviors from several families in the group and offer insights into the evolution of cannibalism, male clasping spurs and female catalepsis (quiescence while mating).

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%