Strategic pheromone signalling by mate searching females of the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope bruennichi.

ABSTRACT: Reproduction often requires finding a mating partner. To this end, females of many arthropods advertise their presence to searching males via volatile chemical signals. Such pheromones are considered low-cost signals, although this notion is based on little evidence and has recently been challenged. Even when using comparatively low-cost signals, females should signal as little as possible to minimize costs while still ensuring mate attraction. Here, we test the strategic-signalling hypothesis using Argiope bruennichi. In this orb-weaving spider, egg maturation commences with adult moult, and females that do not attract a male in time will lay a large batch of unfertilized eggs approximately three weeks after maturation. Using GC-MS analyses, we show that virgin females enhance thei

SUBMITTER: Weiss K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8767209 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature