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Changes in male sexual responses from silk cues of females at different reproductive states in the wolf spider Schizocosa malitiosa

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Abstract

Male wolf spiders are capable of recognising sexual signals associated with female silk threads. In the wolf spider Schizocosa malitiosa variations in female receptivity have been studied, but changes in female silk attractiveness remain unknown. We analysed the sexual responses of adult males (leg shaking, papal drumming and searching) exposed to silk cues from subadult, virgin and mated females of different ages, and females that were or were not carrying an egg-sac. Penultimate and recently moulted adult females elicited low levels of male sexual behaviour, while those of virgin females (21–40 days old) were the most attractive. Silk threads slowly became less attractive after mating. Cues from females carrying an egg-sac as well as females in the inter egg-sac period were fairly attractive. The low attractiveness of recently moulted females disagrees with their high sexual receptivity. In contrast, females continued to elicit strong male responses during a 10-day period after mating, despite the fact that they immediately become sexually reluctant, suggesting strong selection for male searching ability. Low attractiveness during the egg-carrying period could reflect the fact that females do not require any further sperm. Concordances and discordances between attractiveness and sexual receptivity suggest that they respond to different physiological mechanisms.

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Anita Aisenberg, Lorena Coelho, Macarena González, and Mariángeles Lacava for their help in the collection of spiders. Anita Aisenberg and Verónica Quirici helped us with the statistical analyses. Anita Aisenberg Soledad Ghione, Macarena González and Andrés González critically read the first draft of the manuscript and helped with the English. Two anonymous reviewers also substantially improved the text and the English. This study was supported by CSIC.

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  1. Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Av. Italia 3318, CP 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Luciana Baruffaldi & Fernando G. Costa

  2. Sección Entomología, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, CP 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Luciana Baruffaldi

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  1. Luciana Baruffaldi
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  2. Fernando G. Costa
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Correspondence to Luciana Baruffaldi.

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Baruffaldi, L., Costa, F.G. Changes in male sexual responses from silk cues of females at different reproductive states in the wolf spider Schizocosa malitiosa . J Ethol 28, 75–85 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-009-0158-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-009-0158-8

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