Potential costs of heterospecific sexual interactions in golden orbweb spiders (Nephila spp.).
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Quinones-Lebron SG
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5109271 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Potential costs of heterospecific sexual interactions in golden orbweb spiders (Nephila spp.).
Quiñones-Lebrón Shakira G SG Kralj-Fišer Simona S Gregorič Matjaž M Lokovšek Tjaša T Čandek Klemen K Haddad Charles R CR Kuntner Matjaž M
Scientific reports 20161115
Though not uncommon in other animals, heterospecific mating is rarely reported in arachnids. We investigated sexual interactions among four closely related and syntopical African golden orbweb spiders, Nephila inaurata, N. fenestrata, N. komaci, and N. senegalensis. In two South African localities, female webs were often inhabited by heterospecific males that sometimes outnumbered conspecifics. Species association of males with females was random in nature. In subsequent laboratory choice experi ...[more]
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