Gea eff

Last updated

Gea eff
RMNH.ARA.9129 Gea eff Levi (cropped).jpg
Specimen of G. eff preserved in alcohol
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Gea
Species:
G. eff
Binomial name
Gea eff
Levi, 1983 [1]

Gea eff is a species of orb-weaver spider. [2] It is found in Papua New Guinea. The arachnologist Herbert Walter Levi formally described the species in 1983. While it was still undescribed, Michael H. Robinson and colleagues reported on its courtship and mating behaviors. Gea eff has the shortest scientific name of any spider species.

Contents

Taxonomic history

According to Herbert Walter Levi, specimens which Władysław Kulczyński illustrated and tentatively identified as Gea subarmata in the 1910s [3] [4] were in fact G. eff. [5]

Publications by Michael H. Robinson and colleagues in the 1970s and 1980s referred to specimens they found in Wau, Papua New Guinea as belonging to an undescribed taxon. They had enlisted the Capuchin friar Chrysanthus to identify spider specimens and he realized this constituted a new species; he died in 1972 before able to further study it, but thought it belonged to the genus Argiope . [6] Robinson and colleagues referred to it as "Species 'F'" or "Argiope sp. F". [1] [7] Robinson and colleagues later thought it might be in the genus Gea after noticing the similarity to Gea heptagon ; after Levi confirmed its generic placement, they subsequently called it "Gea sp. Wau No. 1". [8] [9]

The species was formally described by Levi in 1983; he named it Gea eff. [10] [1] Levi listed the etymology for the specific epithet, eff, as being "an arbitrary combination of letters". [5] Gea eff has the shortest scientific name of all spider species, with a length of only six characters. [11] The female holotype and three female paratypes were deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. [5]

Distribution

The type locality is McAdam Park, near Wau, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. [12] G. eff spiders were recorded in the Wau Valley as part of a year-long transect study by Robinson and colleagues. [13] Additional specimens have been collected elsewhere in Morobe Province, as well as in Madang Province and Central Province. In addition to these locations on the island of New Guinea, G. eff has been found on Tagula Island in the Louisiade Archipelago and on the island of New Britain. [12] It is found in tall grass. [14] Specimens have been collected in coconut plantations as well as in forest. [5]

Description

G. eff is a "very small" species. [15] The female is 2.2 times bigger than the male. [16] It is one of the least sexually dimorphic species of the subfamily Argiopinae. [17] The female has a total length of 6.6 mm; it has a brown carapace, a light-colored head, a black sternum with a white longitudinal stripe, and banded legs. [5] The male has a total length of 3.0 mm; its carapace, sternum, and legs are beige, and its dorsum has two white spots. [5]

Behavior

Gea eff builds its webs in the herbaceous layer. [18] It creates a stabilimentum, or web decoration, [19] consisting of an X-shaped pattern, with zig-zag bands forming a cross, [14] which does not block the hub of the web. [20] Their webs are "relatively durable". [18]

Robinson and Robinson placed G. eff in "Group C", meaning it had "advanced" courtship and mating behaviors. [8] G. eff engages in courtship on a mating thread outside the orb-web. [17] It is a sexual cannibal and has an average copulation duration of 0.9 minutes. [21] Sexual cannibalism occurs before copulation. The rate has not been determined as it has only been observed anecdotally. [22]

Related Research Articles

<i>Argiope</i> (spider) Genus of spiders

The genus Argiope includes rather large spiders that often have a strikingly coloured abdomen. These spiders are distributed throughout the world. Most countries in tropical or temperate climates host one or more species that are similar in appearance. The etymology of Argiope is from a Latin word argentum meaning silver. The carapace of Argiope species is typically covered in silvery hairs, and when crawling in the sun, they reflect it in a way that gives them a metallic, white appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orb-weaver spider</span> Family of spiders

Orb-weaver spiders are members of the spider family Araneidae. They are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields, and forests. The English word "orb" can mean "circular", hence the English name of the group. Araneids have eight similar eyes, hairy or spiny legs, and no stridulating organs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stabilimentum</span> Conspicuous, usually zig-zagged, silk structure in some orb-weaver spider webs

A stabilimentum, also known as a web decoration, is a conspicuous silk structure included in the webs of some species of orb-web spider. Its function is a subject of debate.

<i>Argiope keyserlingi</i> St Andrews cross spider

Argiope keyserlingi is a species of orb-web spider found on the east coast of Australia, from Victoria to northern Queensland. It is very similar in appearance to a closely related north Queensland species, Argiope aetherea. A. keyserlingi is commonly found in large populations in suburban parks and gardens, particularly among the leaves of Lomandra longifolia. Like many species of orb-web spider, A. keyserlingi shows considerable sexual dimorphism, as the females are many times larger than the males. Mature females can be seen during the summer, and seeing multiple males on the web of one female is not uncommon.

<i>Argiope aetherea</i> Species of spider

Argiope aetherea is a common, large orb-web spider. Like other species of Argiope, it is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider, due to the characteristic cross-shaped web decorations female spiders often include in their webs. A. aetherea is similar in appearance to A. keyserlingi, however female A. aetherea are generally larger than A. keyserlingi. Like most orb-web spiders, A. aetherea shows considerable sexual size dimorphism, with females being many times larger than males.

<i>Argiope picta</i> Species of spider

Argiope picta is a species of orb web spider found in tropical areas of Queensland, Australia and Papua New Guinea up to the Moluccas. This species is similar in size to the sympatric Argiope aetherea; females can be distinguished from those of A. aetherea via extensive differences in abdominal colouration and patterns. The males of these two species are almost indistinguishable.

<i>Argiope mascordi</i> Species of spider

Argiope mascordi is a species of orb-web spider found in Queensland, Australia. The females of this species are smaller and less colourful than many other spiders in the genus Argiope. Males are larger than many other Argiope. Web decorations in this species are interesting in that A. mascordi juveniles construct a cross and adults construct a disc. The reason for this apparent reversal in decorating behaviour remains unknown.

<i>Argiope bruennichi</i> Species of orb-weaver spider

Argiope bruennichi is a species of orb-web spider distributed throughout central Europe, northern Europe, north Africa, parts of Asia, and the Azores archipelago. Like many other members of the genus Argiope, it has striking yellow and black markings on its abdomen.

<i>Argiope argentata</i> Species of spider

Argiope argentata, commonly known as the silver argiope due to the silvery color of its cephalothorax, is a member of the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae. This species resides in arid and warm environments in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and widely across South America. In the USA, it is found at least in Southern California, Florida, Arizona, Texas. A. argentata create stabilimenta and a unique zig-zag in its web design, and it utilizes its UV-reflecting silk to attract pollinating species to prey upon. Like other species of Argiope, its venom is not harmful to humans; however, it can be employed to immobilize its prey. A. argentata engages in sexual cannibalism either mid- or post-copulation. One aspect of particular interest regarding this species is its extinction patterns, which notably have minimal correlation with its population size but rather occur sporadically for the species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual cannibalism</span> Practice of animals eating their own mating partners

Sexual cannibalism is when an animal, usually the female, cannibalizes its mate prior to, during, or after copulation. It is a trait observed in many arachnid orders and several insect orders. Several hypotheses to explain this seemingly paradoxical behavior have been proposed. The adaptive foraging hypothesis, aggressive spillover hypothesis and mistaken identity hypothesis are among the proposed hypotheses to explain how sexual cannibalism evolved. This behavior is believed to have evolved as a manifestation of sexual conflict, occurring when the reproductive interests of males and females differ. In many species that exhibit sexual cannibalism, the female consumes the male upon detection. Females of cannibalistic species are generally hostile and unwilling to mate; thus many males of these species have developed adaptive behaviors to counteract female aggression.

<i>Argiope protensa</i> Species of spider

Argiope protensa is a species of the spider genus Argiope known by the common names longtailed orb-weaving spider or tear drop spider. It is found in New Guinea, Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand.

<i>Argiope submaronica</i> Species of spider

Argiope submaronica is a species of spider in the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), found from Mexico to Bolivia, and in Brazil. The name was at one time considered a synonym of Argiope argentata, but A. submaronica is now treated as a separate species. It has also been known under the synonym Argiope savignyi.

<i>Argiope catenulata</i> Species of spider

Argiope catenulata, also known as the grass cross spider, is a species of orb-weaver spiders ranging from India to the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, and also found in Australia in 2019. Like other species of the same genus, it builds a web with a zig-zag stabilimentum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual selection in spiders</span>

Sexual selection in spiders shows how sexual selection explains the evolution of phenotypic traits in spiders. Male spiders have many complex courtship rituals and have to avoid being eaten by the females, with the males of most species survive a few matings, and having short life spans.

<i>Argiope aemula</i> Species of spider

Argiope aemula, commonly known as the oval St Andrew's cross spider, is a species of spider in the family Araneidae which is native to southeast Asia, ranging from India and Sri Lanka to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vanuatu. It is one of the giant, conspicuous "signature spider" species of the genus Argiope, observed in tropical and subtropical grasslands.

Neogea is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi in 1983. As of April 2019 it contains only three species.

<i>Argiope magnifica</i> Species of spider

Argiope magnifica is a species of orb web spider found in tropical areas of north-east Queensland, Australia, eastern Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. It is commonly known as the magnificent St Andrew's cross spider. This species is similar in size to the sympatric Argiope keyserlingi; females can be distinguished from those of A. keyserlingi via extensive differences in abdominal colouration and patterns. The males of these two species are almost indistinguishable.

<i>Argiope radon</i> Species of spider

Argiope radon is a species of orb web spider native to Australia. It is found in tropical areas of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland. It is commonly known as the Northern St Andrew's cross spider.

<i>Argiope katherina</i> Species of spider

Argiope katherina is a species of orb-weaver spider found in the northern parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It was first described by Levi in 1983 and was named for Katherine Gorge. Specimens had been found at the mouth of split rock crevices up to one hundred metres from the Katherine River in sparse Pandanus-dominated territory.

<i>Argiope dietrichae</i> Species of spider

Argiope dietrichae is a rare species of orb-web spider found in the northern parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It was first described by Levi in 1983, and it was named for Amalie Dietrich who collected specimens for the Godeffroy Museum in Hamburg.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Levi 1983, pp. 324–326.
  2. ↑ World Spider Catalog (2022). "Gea eff Levi, 1983". World Spider Catalog. 23.0. Bern: Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  3. ↑ Kulczyński, W. (1910). "Araneae et Arachnoidea Arthrogastra". Denkschriften der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften: Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe. 85: 392–394, Pl. 17, Figs. 3–4.
  4. ↑ Kulczyński, W. (1911). "Spinnen aus Nord-Neu-Guinea". Nova Guinea: Résultats de l'expédition scientifique néerlandaise à la Nouvelle-Guinée en 1903. 5. Zoologie (4): 476, 518, Pl. 20, Figs. 48–49.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Levi 1983, p. 324.
  6. ↑ Robinson & Robinson 1974, pp. 146, 158.
  7. ↑ Robinson & Robinson 1974, pp. 146–147; Robinson, Lubin & Robinson 1974, pp. 125–126; Robinson & Robinson 1980, pp. 71, 111.
  8. 1 2 Levi 1983, p. 260.
  9. ↑ Robinson & Robinson 1980, pp. 10, 111–116.
  10. ↑ Leibensperger, Laura B. (2016). "Herbert Walter Levi (1921–2014) and Lorna Levi (1928–2014)". Breviora. 551 (1): 24. doi:10.3099/MCZ28.1.
  11. ↑ Mammola, Stefano; Michalik, Peter; Hebets, Eileen A.; Isaia, Marco (2017). "Record breaking achievements by spiders and the scientists who study them". PeerJ. 5: e3972. doi: 10.7717/peerj.3972 . PMC   5668680 .
  12. 1 2 Levi 1983, p. 326.
  13. ↑ Robinson, Lubin & Robinson 1974, pp. 134–140.
  14. 1 2 Herberstein, M. E.; Craig, C. L.; Coddington, J. A.; Elgar, M. A. (2007). "The functional significance of silk decorations of orb-web spiders: a critical review of the empirical evidence". Biological Reviews. 75 (4): 655. doi:10.1111/j.1469-185X.2000.tb00056.x. hdl: 10088/4445 .
  15. ↑ Robinson & Robinson 1974, p. 147.
  16. ↑ Hormiga, Gustavo; Scharff, Nikolaj; Coddington, Jonathan A. (2000). "The Phylogenetic Basis of Sexual Size Dimorphism in Orb-Weaving Spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae)". Systematic Biology. 49 (3): 458. doi: 10.1080/10635159950127330 . hdl: 10088/4447 . JSTOR   2585381.
  17. 1 2 Elgar, Mark A. (1991). "Sexual Cannibalism, Size Dimorphism, and Courtship Behavior in Orb-Weaving Spiders (Araneidae)". Evolution. 45 (2): 444–448. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1991.tb04419.x . JSTOR   2409679.
  18. 1 2 Robinson & Robinson 1974, p. 131.
  19. ↑ Levi 1983, p. 321.
  20. ↑ Robinson & Robinson 1974, p. 126.
  21. ↑ Elgar, Mark A. (1995). "The duration of copulation in spiders: comparative patterns". In Harvey, Mark S. (ed.). Australasian Spiders and Their Relatives: Papers Honouring Barbara York Main. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement. Vol. 52. Perth: Western Australian Museum. p. 10.
  22. ↑ Elgar, M.A. (1992). "Sexual cannibalism in spiders and other invertebrates". In Elgar, M.A.; Crespi, B.J. (eds.). Cannibalism: Ecology and Evolution Among Diverse Taxa. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 132.

Works cited

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.