Supersaturation with water explains the unusual adhesion of aggregate glue in the webs of the moth-specialist spider, Cyrtarachne akirai.

ABSTRACT: Orb webs produced by araneoid spiders depend upon aggregate glue-coated capture threads to retain their prey. Moths are challenging prey for most spiders because their scales detach and contaminate the glue droplets, significantly decreasing adhesion. Cyrtarachne are moth-specialist orb-weaving spiders whose capture threads adhere well to moths. We compare the adhesive properties and chemistry of Cyrtarachne aggregate glue to other orb-weaving spiders to test hypotheses about their structure, chemistry and performance that could explain the strength of Cyrtarachne glue. We show that the unusually large glue droplets on Cyrtarachne capture threads make them approximately 8 times more adhesive on glass substrate than capture threads from typical orb-weaving specie

SUBMITTER: Diaz C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6281915 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature