Presentation Details
| Lies have short legs: the limits of deception in gift-giving spiders Leila Almanza-Vico1, 2, Fátima González1, Manuelita Méndez1, 2, Maria J Albo1, 3. 1Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo Uruguay.2Programa de Desarrollo de las Ciencias Básicas, Montevideo Uruguay.3Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo Uruguay |
Abstract
Alternative mating tactics maximize individual reproductive success. Males of the spider Paratrechalea ornata can perform three gift-giving mating tactics: presenting fresh prey as a nutritive gift (dominant tactic), or offering worthless gifts by providing either prey leftovers after feeding (alternative tactic 1) or plant material collected from the surroundings (alternative tactic 2), all wrapped in silk. We tested the hypothesis that worthless gifts with non-prey items are costly to produce over time, as males cannot feed on them but still invest in silk. Over three consecutive days, males in the Alternative tactic 2 Group were given a non-prey item to produce gifts, while males in the Dominant tactic Group produced nutritive gifts using a prey. Males in this group consumed nearly 30% of the prey before wrapping it in silk and overall increased gift production over time. In contrast, males in the Alternative tactic 2 Group showed a decline in condition, reduced gift production, silk wrapping duration, and less silk investment. Consequently, this alternative tactic is maintained at low frequencies in natural populations and depends on male body condition and silk investment.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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