Can ant-eating Zodarion spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae) develop on a diet optimal for polyphagous predators

PEKÁR, Stanislav and Soeren TOFT. Can ant-eating Zodarion spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae) develop on a diet optimal for polyphagous predators. Physiological Entomology. United Kingdom: Royal Entomological Society, 2009, vol. 34, No 2, p. 195-201. ISSN 0307-6962.

Basic information

• Original name: Can ant-eating Zodarion spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae) develop on a diet optimal for polyphagous predators
• Name in Czech: Mohou sa mravencozrave pavouky rodu Zodarion vyvijet na diete optimalni pro polyfagni predatory?
• Authors: PEKÁR, Stanislav (703 Slovakia, guarantor) and Soeren TOFT (208 Denmark).
• Edition: Physiological Entomology, United Kingdom, Royal Entomological Society, 2009, 0307-6962.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 10600 1.6 Biological sciences
• Country of publisher: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 1.358
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/09:00029356
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• UT WoS: 000266073100013
• Keywords (in Czech): dieta; myrmekofagie; vyziva
• Keywords in English: Diet; myrmecophagy; nutrition ; stenophagy; trade-offs
• Tags: diet, myrmecophagy, nutrition, stenophagy, trade-offs
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Little attention is paid to the behavioural and physiological adaptations of ant-eating predators. It is expected that there should be a strong selection for traits related to prey handling, leading to the evolution of morphological, behavioural and nutritional adaptations. Such adaptations may then entail trade-offs in handling and utilization of alternative prey. To investigate behavioural as well as nutritional adaptations and the occurrence of the corresponding trade-offs in two ant-eating spiders of the genus Zodarion [ Zodarion atlanticum Pekár & Cardoso and Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch)], spiders are reared on two diets: ants (i.e. their preferred prey) and fruit flies (i.e. an alternative prey that is nutritionally optimal for euryphagous spiders). Food consumption is observed and several fitnessrelated life-history parameters are measured. Although spiders readily accept ants, more than one-third of 35 spiders refuse to consume fruit flies and starve.

Abstract (in Czech)

Malo pozornosti bylo doposud venovano behavioralnim a fyziologickym adaptacim mravencozravych pavouku ...

Links

• GA206/06/0629, research and development project: Name: Potravní specializace mravčíkovitých pavouků

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Prey specialisation in zodariid spiders