Maratus volans

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Maratus volans
MalePeacockSpider.jpg
Male
Courtship rituals
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Subfamily: Salticinae
Genus: Maratus
Species:
M. volans
Binomial name
Maratus volans
Synonyms [1]
  • Salticus volansO. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874
  • Maratus amoenusKarsch, 1878
  • Saitis volansSimon, 1901
Illustrated Male Peacock Spider Male peacock spider2.svg
Illustrated Male Peacock Spider

Maratus volans is a species in the jumping spider family (Salticidae), belonging to the genus Maratus (peacock spiders). These spiders are native to certain areas in Australia and occupy a wide distribution of habitats. They have a specialized visual system that allows them to see the full visible spectrum as well as in the ultraviolet-range; this helps them detect and pursue prey. Males of this species are characterized by their colourful abdomen flaps that are used to attract females during courtship.

Contents

Description

Both sexes reach about 5 mm in body length. Females and immatures of both sexes are brown but have colour patterns by which they can be distinguished from related species.

Behavior

Courtship

The red, blue and black males have flap-like extensions of the abdomen with white hairs that can be folded down. They are used for display during mating: the male raises his abdomen, then expands and raises the flaps so that the abdomen forms a white-fringed, circular field of colour. The species, and indeed the whole genus Maratus, have been compared to peacocks in this respect. The third pair of legs is also raised for display, showing a brush of black hairs and white tips. These legs are also used in a clapping motion to further attract a female's attention. While approaching the female, the male vibrates his abdomen while waving raised legs and tail, and dances from side to side. [2] [3] [ better source needed ] However, females are more attracted to the visual efforts of the dance done by the males rather than the vibrational signals. [4] [5]

Vibrations

An important part of the male peacock spider's courtship is the vibrations that accompany the fan dance. The exact mechanism of how these vibrations are produced is not known, but it is known that they are produced almost solely from rapid movements in their abdomen. [6] There are three kinds of vibrations: rumble-rumps, crunch rolls, and grind-revs. Rumble-rumps are continuously emitted during the courtship, and can even start before the male sees the female. The name comes from the two distinct sounds, the rumble and the rump. The crunch rolls and grind-revs are observed right before the pre-mount display. [7] Males who put forth more effort in both the visual display and the vibratory signaling had a higher success in mating. Having a higher measured effort meant putting in more time engaged in the visual display or vibrating with more vigor. Both of these are postulated to indicate a healthier and more fit male. However, visual displays are more strongly linked to mating success than vibratory signaling.

Female choice

For females who do choose to mate with the male, copulation time is also positively correlated to visual displays and vibratory signaling. Other aspects that are important include persistence, staying within proximity of the female and maintaining constant visual contact with her. [6] If the female is interested she will occasionally respond to the approaching male by signaling with her third pair of legs. Her legs will be stretched out as they move, oftentimes one leg more engaged than the other. [8] In M. volans, they found that the females are only likely to mate once. [4]

Female aggression

If the male continues his dance when the female is not interested, she attempts to attack, kill, and feed on him; she may also do this after mating (sexual cannibalism). [9] The male may escape by jumping. The behaviour of the female M. volans suggests why the males have developed unique sexual dimorphic features and courtship behaviour. [10] If the female is already mated, then she will appear more aggressive, and less receptive to other males' displays. This can also occur if the female simply was not impressed by the male (less vibrations or less leg waving). She has an anti-receptivity signal that tells males she is not receptive. This serves a function to both the males and females. The males will stop wasting their energy on an unwilling female. The male's display is likely to attract predators, so stopping the performance is likely to protect both the female and male from potential dangers. [11]

Copulation and pre-mount display

During the courtship display the male will slowly approach the female, as he lowers his carapace almost to the ground [7] until they are about one body length apart. If the female does not flee then he will commence the pre-mount display. [6] The pre-mount display is a highly conserved behaviour; the Maratus volans will follow a specific sequence: the third legs are rotated to the front over the first and second legs, while he retracts his colourful fan flaps. The third legs are lowered and spread apart as they tremor. The first legs will be held erect in front of the body almost touching the female. After this, the male will advance towards the female. [7]  Copulation can last a duration of several minutes to several hours. [6] Throughout the whole courtship event, the male performs pedipalp flickers either alone or along with the other courtship displays. However, the pedipalp flicker may not be specific to courtship because it is also observed in other contexts like eating.

Pheromones

Contact pheromones, which are often released onto the silk drag-lines, can be detected by chemoreceptors on both the legs and palps. These pheromones, which are released by the abdomen of the female spider, can trigger male courtship even in the absence of visual cues.  Pheromones given off by the female may be an indication of if they are already mated, and can hint to any other males whether or not to pursue courtship. [6]

Sexual selection

M. Volans use their colorful opisthosomal flaps to gain the attention of the female. Much of the mating ritual consists, however, of waving and vibrating the third legs for between four and fifty minutes. [12] Jakob Bro-Jorgensen, an evolutionary ecologist, states that "When both sexes are allowed to respond optimally by introducing adaptive dynamics to a standard runaway model of condition dependent signaling, multiple signals can coexist even if the signal preferences entail significant costs". [13] He explains that the potential sexual success outweighs the relatively low costs of the mating ritual. The mating behavior of M. volans is an example of runaway sexual selection where the male risks death when attempting to mate. [14] [10] [15]

Hunting and diet

Peacock spiders are diurnal cursorial hunters feeding primarily on insects and other spiders. The evolution of an acute visual system in salticids almost certainly originated as an adaptation for stalking prey. However, this development also facilitated a wandering lifestyle different from that of their sit-and-wait ancestors, enabling jumping spiders to roam and encounter many environments. Keen eyesight has probably been useful for peacock spiders in navigating, inhabiting and exploiting new types of habitats, and undoubtedly set the stage for the evolution of complex visual signals. [6] Like other jumping spiders, they do not rely on webs to catch prey. They use their keen eyesight to stalk their prey and eventually chase and leap on their target to deliver a fatal bite. They have been observed to jump up to 40 times higher than their body length. [16]

Reproduction and lifecycle

Activity

M. volans are typically most active during the spring (Austral Spring), which is their breeding season. The mature males appear from August to December, while the females appear a bit later and survive longer. In December, the females will stay hidden in order to lay their eggs and guard them from predators. [6]

Life cycle

Immature female peacock spiders resemble the adults, except their pedipalps are colourless. The immature male peacock spiders lack an opisthosomal fan, a prominent white marginal band of the carapace, as well as specialization of the third legs. The males do not generate their colours until sexual maturity. [6] Their lifespan is reported to be about one year. [16]

Eggs

In December, the females are observed to create nests underground where they will lay eggs. [16] M. volans females have been observed to lay between 6 and 15 eggs per clutch. Some M. volans were observed to have several consecutive broods. [8] Males hatch in August and can survive through December, while females hatch a bit later and tend to survive longer than males. [6]

Distribution and habitat

Distribution

M. volans is confined to specific parts of Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania). [17] They have a very wide distribution and occupy many different types of environments, unlike other species of Maratus that occupy only a niche habitat, like the M. Sarahae. [6]

Habitat

The majority of Peacock spiders are ground dwelling and found on leaf litter or dry twigs. The females are thought to mimic leaf scars on the dry twigs; however, they can be found in a wide variety of habitats such as sand dunes to grasslands. [6]

Physiology

Eyesight

Peacock spiders each have eight eyes that are equipped with a telephoto lens, tiered retina, and ultraviolet-sensitive photoreceptor. They have reached the physical limit of optical resolution given their size. This special visual system allows them to see the full visible spectrum as well as in the ultraviolet-range. They have a set of primary eyes that provide acute vision and secondary eyes that aid them to detect motion. Their superb eyesight is useful in pursuing prey. [6]

Scales

The male abdomen contains scales that produce its well known colorful display. Some male peacock spiders are able to change their scales from red to green to violet with slight movements, using their specialized abdominal scales that contain three dimensional reflective diffraction grating structures. They can reflect light in both the visible and the ultraviolet range. [6]

Name

The English arachnologist Octavius Pickard-Cambridge described the species. It was transferred to the genus Maratus by Marek Żabka in 1991, [18] noting that "it is difficult to describe adequately the great beauty of the colouring of this spider". [19]

The specific name volans means "flying" in Latin; O.P-Cambridge noted that the person who sent him the specimens from New South Wales had told him that he had seen the spiders "actually using [the flaps] as wings or supporters to sustain the length of their leaps." [19] This belief has been debunked by the Australasian Arachnological Society. [18] [20]

Related Research Articles

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

Jumping spiders are a group of spiders that constitute the family Salticidae. As of 2019, this family contained over 600 described genera and over 6,000 described species, making it the largest family of spiders at 13% of all species. Jumping spiders have some of the best vision among arthropods and use it in courtship, hunting, and navigation. Although they normally move unobtrusively and fairly slowly, most species are capable of very agile jumps, notably when hunting, but sometimes in response to sudden threats or crossing long gaps. Both their book lungs and tracheal system are well-developed, and they use both systems. Jumping spiders are generally recognized by their eye pattern. All jumping spiders have four pairs of eyes, with the anterior median pair being particularly large.

<i>Portia labiata</i> Species of spider

Portia labiata is a jumping spider found in Sri Lanka, India, southern China, Burma (Myanmar), Malaysia, Singapore, Java, Sumatra and the Philippines. In this medium-sized jumping spider, the front part is orange-brown and the back part is brownish. The conspicuous main eyes provide vision more acute than a cat's during the day and 10 times more acute than a dragonfly's, and this is essential in P. labiata′s navigation, hunting and mating.

<i>Maratus</i> Genus of spiders

Maratus is a spider genus of the family Salticidae. These spiders are commonly referred to as peacock spiders due to the males' colorful and usually iridescent patterns on the upper surface of the abdomen often enhanced with lateral flaps or bristles, which they display during courtship. Females lack these bright colors, being cryptic in appearance. In at least one species, Maratus vespertilio, the expansion of the flaps also occurs during ritualised contests between males. The male display and courtship dance are complex, involving visual and vibratory signals.

<i>Zygiella x-notata</i> Species of spider

Zygiella x-notata, sometimes known as the missing sector orb weaver or the silver-sided sector spider, is a spider species in the family Araneidae. They are solitary spiders, residing in daily spun orb webs. Z. x-notata is a member of the genus Zygiella, the orb-weaving spiders. The adult female is easily recognized by the characteristic leaf-like mark on her posterior opisthosoma, caudal to the yellow-brown cephalothorax.

<i>Saitis barbipes</i> Species of spider

Saitis barbipes is a common jumping spider found in the Mediterranean region.

<i>Cosmophasis umbratica</i> Species of spider

Cosmophasis umbratica is a species of jumping spider found in South and Southeast Asia. They are members of the family Salticidae and the genus Cosmophasis. They are commonly spotted on green vegetation. C. umbratica shows extreme dimorphism when viewed under UV light: males reflect UV on all body parts that are displayed during intraspecific interaction, while females and juveniles do not reflect UV at all. It seems that C. umbratica uses this in sexual signaling. A similar phenomenon is found in some butterflies. For example, several species of Colias and Gonepteryx, both of the family Pieridae, also display sexual signaling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courtship display</span> Communication to start a relationship with someone or to get sexual contact

A courtship display is a set of display behaviors in which an animal, usually a male, attempts to attract a mate; the mate exercises choice, so sexual selection acts on the display. These behaviors often include ritualized movement ("dances"), vocalizations, mechanical sound production, or displays of beauty, strength, or agonistic ability.

<i>Trite planiceps</i> Species of spider

Trite planiceps, commonly known as the black-headed jumping spider, is a common jumping spider (Salticidae) endemic to New Zealand and one of about 150 species of jumping spiders in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiders of Australia</span>

Australia has a number of highly venomous spiders, including the Sydney funnel-web spider, its relatives in the family Hexathelidae, and the redback spider, whose bites can be extremely painful and have historically been linked with deaths in medical records. Most Australian spiders do not have venom that is considered to be dangerously toxic. No deaths caused by spider bites in Australia have been substantiated by a coronial inquest since 1979. There are sensationalised news reports regarding Australian spiders that fail to cite evidence. A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia published by CSIRO Publishing in 2017 featuring around 836 species illustrated with photographs of live animals, around 381 genera and 78 families, introduced significant updates to taxonomy from Ramirez, Wheeler and Dmitrov.

<i>Menemerus bivittatus</i> Species of spider

Menemerus bivittatus is a spider in the family Salticidae commonly known as the gray wall jumper. It is a pantropical species and is usually found on the walls of buildings or on tree trunks where it stalks its prey.

<i>Anasaitis canosus</i> Species of spider

Anasaitis canosus, previously of the genus Corythalia, is a small jumping spider that can typically be found atop leaf-litter or man-made structures such as fences and exterior walls. This species is more commonly known as the twin-flagged jumping spider due to the two pennant shaped markings on the dorsal side of the cephalothorax. Typical of the genus Anasaitis, this species has iridescent setae ("scales") which may appear white, green or pink which create the "flags" as well as patches on the male pedipalps used in courtship and intraspecific signaling. This species is roughly 5 to 6 mm in length. A. canosus ranges from Mexico to South Carolina along the Gulf of Mexico.

<i>Phidippus clarus</i> Species of spider

Phidippus clarus, also known as the brilliant jumping spider, is a species of jumping spider found in old fields throughout eastern North America. It often waits upside down near the top of a plant, which may be useful for detecting prey, and then quickly jumps down before the prey can escape. The spider is one of 60 species in the genus Phidippus, and one of about 5,000 in the Salticidae, a family that accounts for about 10% of all spider species. P. clarus is a predator, mostly consuming insects, other spiders, and other terrestrial arthropods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal peacock spider</span> Species of spider

Maratus speciosus, sometimes called the coastal peacock spider, is an Australian species of jumping spider. They are only known to inhabit the vegetation of the coastal sand dunes of southwestern Western Australia. Like other Maratus spiders, the males of the species engage in a courtship display during which they raise their third pair of legs and their abdomen, presenting their colourful opisthosomal plate to potential female partners. Accompanying their elaborate dance moves, males beat their front and back body halves together, sending vibrations that travel through the ground which the females pick up, stimulating them into receiving higher chances of a successful mate. Unlike other Maratus, however, the males of this species have a set of bright orange hairs (setae) along both edges of the opisthosoma which only become visible during this display. Maratus speciosus derives from the arachnid class with both sexes measuring about 5 mm in body length, equivalent to a pencil eraser. They are known as the smallest species of spiders. This organism is known as diurnal cursorial hunters, meaning they feed on insects. Like any other jumping spider, they rely on their keen vision and jumping actions to help them travel and spot prey at far distances.

Maratus jactatus is a species of the genus Maratus, an Australian member of the jumping spider family. Maratus jactatus are from the jumping spider group Salticidae. The name jactatus is Latin for rocking - derived from their signature mating rituals. Maratus jactatus have the ability to jump lengths up to 50 times their size. They have been collected only in Wondul Range National Park in southern Queensland. Sparklemuffins are very small spiders that range from being four to six millimeters in length, similar to the length of a grain of rice. The males are close to four and one half millimeters long, which is smaller compared to the female who are about five and three tenths millimeters long.

Maratus sceletus is a species of the genus Maratus, an Australian member of the jumping spider family. Described in 2015, they have been collected only in Wondul Range National Park in southern Queensland. The species name is derived from the Latin sceletus "skeleton", from its distinctive body pattern. Maratus sceletus is a small species, from 3.7 to 4.7 mm long. The male is black with prominent white stripes and markings across its carapace and legs.

Maratus vespa is a species of the peacock spider genus, Maratus, characterised by its distinctive courtship display. The male spiders are characterized by a bright abdomen, lateral flaps, and an elongated third pair of legs. When attempting to attract a mate, the male spider will raise its colourful abdomen and elongated third pair of legs and wave them, along with extending its lateral flaps. This complex display of courtship is analogous to that of a peacock, hence the common name of this spider species.

<i>Habronattus pyrrithrix</i> Species of spider

Habronattus pyrrithrix is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It is found in the southwestern United States and western Mexico.

<i>Maratus pavonis</i> Species of spider

Maratus pavonis is a species of jumping spider (Salticidae), endemic to Australia, where it is found in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. The species epithet, pavonis, derives from the Latin, pavo, pavonis, meaning "peacock".

<i>Maratus griseus</i> Species of spider

Maratus griseus, the white-banded house jumping spider, is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It is found in Australia and New Zealand.

<i>Maevia intermedia</i> Species of spider

Maevia intermedia is one of eight species of Salticidae, or jumping spider, in the genus Maevia, and is native to North America. This species was originally reported by American Zoologist Robert D. Barnes in 1955 as a needed distinguishment between the similar-looking Maevia species, especially those found in the Americas.

References

  1. 1 2 "Taxon details Maratus volans (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874)". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  2. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Peacock Spider 1 (Maratus volans). YouTube .
  3. ↑ "The Peacock Spider – Maratus Volans : Amazing List". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
  4. 1 2 Girard, Madeline B.; Kasumovic, Michael M.; Elias, Damian O. (November–December 2018). "The role of red coloration and song in peacock spider courtship: insights into complex signaling systems". Behavioral Ecology. 29 (6): 1234–1244. doi: 10.1093/beheco/ary128 . S2CID   91831486.
  5. ↑ Girard, Madeline B.; Elias, Damian O.; Kasumovic, Michael M. (7 December 2015). "Female preference for multi-modal courtship: multiple signals are important for male mating success in peacock spiders". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 282 (1820). doi:10.1098/rspb.2015.2222. PMC   4685782 . PMID   26631566.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Girard, Madeline B.; Endler, John A. (2014-07-07). "Peacock spiders". Current Biology. 24 (13): R588–R590. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.05.026 . hdl: 10536/DRO/DU:30071661 . ISSN   0960-9822. PMID   25004358.
  7. 1 2 3 Girard, Madeline B.; Kasumovic, Michael M.; Elias, Damian O. (2011-09-27). Dyer, Adrian G. (ed.). "Multi-Modal Courtship in the Peacock Spider, Maratus volans (O.P.-Cambridge, 1874)". PLOS ONE. 6 (9): e25390. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...625390G. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025390 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   3181266 . PMID   21980440.
  8. 1 2 "Description of a new peacock spider from Cape le Grand, Western Australia, with observations on display by males and females and comparative notes on the related Maratus volans (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae: Maratus) | Request PDF". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  9. ↑ Evans, 1990
  10. 1 2 Thornhill, 1984
  11. ↑ Girard, Madeline B.; Elias, Damian O.; Kasumovic, Michael M. (2015-12-07). "Female preference for multi-modal courtship: multiple signals are important for male mating success in peacock spiders". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 282 (1820): 20152222. doi:10.1098/rspb.2015.2222. ISSN   0962-8452. PMC   4685782 . PMID   26631566.
  12. ↑ Girard, 2011
  13. ↑ Bro-Jorgensen, 2009
  14. ↑ Prum, 2010
  15. ↑ Bergstrom, 2012
  16. 1 2 3 B. A., Biology; A. S., Nursing. "Colorful Peacock Spider Facts". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  17. ↑ Platnick 2009
  18. 1 2 Waldock, Julianne M. (20 November 2008). "What's in a name? Or: why Maratus volans (Salticidae) cannot fly" (PDF). www.australasian-arachnology.org. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  19. 1 2 Pickford-Cambridge, Octavius (1874). "On some new genera and species of araneidea". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Fourth series. 14 (81). London: Taylor & Francis: 160–182. doi:10.1080/00222937408680951 . Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  20. ↑ Waldock, Julianne M. "Debunking an urban myth: The jumping spider Maratus cannot fly!". Australasian Arachnological Society.

Sources

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