PEKÁR, Stanislav, David ORTIZ MARTÍNEZ, Lenka SENTENSKÁ and Ondrej ŠEDO. Ecological specialization and reproductive isolation among closely related sympatric ant-eating spiders. Journal of Animal Ecology. Wiley, 2022, vol. 91, No 9, p. 1855-1868. ISSN 0021-8790. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13767.
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Basic information
Original name Ecological specialization and reproductive isolation among closely related sympatric ant-eating spiders
Authors PEKÁR, Stanislav (703 Slovakia, guarantor, belonging to the institution), David ORTIZ MARTÍNEZ (724 Spain, belonging to the institution), Lenka SENTENSKÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Ondrej ŠEDO (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
Edition Journal of Animal Ecology, Wiley, 2022, 0021-8790.
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Article in a journal
Field of Study 10613 Zoology
Country of publisher United States of America
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
WWW URL
Impact factor Impact factor: 4.800
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14310/22:00127389
Organization unit Faculty of Science
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13767
UT WoS 000823297300001
Keywords in English Araneae; biological divergence; myrmecophagy; reproductive isolation; specialization; Zodarion
Tags CF PROT, rivok
Tags International impact, Reviewed
Changed by Changed by: Mgr. Marie Šípková, DiS., učo 437722. Changed: 28/2/2023 08:58.
Abstract
Biological divergence results from several mechanisms. Defensive mechanisms, such as Batesian mimicry, can cause reproductive isolation via temporal segregation in foraging activity, particularly, in species that closely associate with their model. This seems to be the case of ant-eating spiders, which can be inaccurate Batesian mimics of their prey. Here, we focused on Zodarion nitidum, which has two forms occurring in sympatry, black and yellow. Given the expected noticeable impact of their colour differences on the spiders' interactions with their potential predators and prey, we investigated whether these morphotypes have diverged in other aspects of their biology. We measured the two morphotypes' phenotypic resemblance to a mimetic model, tested whether they were protected from predators, investigated their circadian activity, surveyed the prey they hunted, modelled their distributions, performed crossing experiments and estimated their degree of genetic differentiation. We found that the black morphotype is ant-like, resembling Messor ants, and it was not distinguishable from their ant models by four potential predators. In contrast, the yellow morphotype seems to use predator avoidance as a defensive strategy. Additionally, the two morphotypes differ in their circadian activity, the yellow morphotype being nocturnal and the black one being diurnal. The two morphotypes hunt and associate with different ant prey and possess marked differences in venom composition. Finally, crossing trials showed complete pre-mating isolation between the two morphotypes, but there was no evidence of genetic (mitochondrial data) or environmental niche differentiation. We conclude that the two morphotypes show evidence of a deep differentiation in morphological, behavioural, physiological and ecological traits that evolved together as part of the spider's diverging lifestyles.
Links
EF16_027/0008360, research and development projectName: Postdoc@MUNI
GA19-09323S, research and development projectName: Mimetické komplexy a evoluce nepřesných mimetiků
Investor: Czech Science Foundation
GA22-20229S, research and development projectName: Evoluce potravní specializace u myrmekofágních pavouků
Investor: Czech Science Foundation
LM2018127, research and development projectName: Česká infrastruktura pro integrativní strukturní biologii (Acronym: CIISB)
Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR
LQ1601, research and development projectName: CEITEC 2020 (Acronym: CEITEC2020)
Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR
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