The influence of energetic state on the form of stabilimentum built by Octonoba sybotides (Araneae : Uloboridae)

Watanabe, T

T. Watanabe, The influence of energetic state on the form of stabilimentum built by Octonoba sybotides (Araneae : Uloboridae), ETHOLOGY, 105(8), 1999, pp. 719-725

17

INGLESE

Article

Animal Sciences","Neurosciences & Behavoir

ETHOLOGY

0179-1613 → ACNP

105

8

1999

719 - 725

ISI

0179-1613(199908)105:8<719:TIOESO>2.0.ZU;2-2

The influence of food supply on the type of stabilimentum built by Octonoba sybotides, an uloborid spider, was investigated in a laboratory experiment . Spiders were separated into two groups that built distinct stabilimenta ( linear or spiral), and then further subdivided into two different feeding g roups (food-deprived and food-supplemented). Food-deprived spiders (a fruit fly every 10 d) tended to form spiral stabilimenta, whereas food-supplemen ted spiders (a fruit fly every 2 d) tended to form linear stabilimenta. Fur thermore, there was a significant difference in the distribution of stabili mentum forms before and after egg production. After egg production, which i nvolves a large expenditure of energy, spiders tended to form spiral stabil imenta. These results suggest that the spider's energetic state influences the type of stabilimentum built by O. sybotides, and that hunger induces th e spider to form spiral stabilimenta.