Important Advantages of Sexual Cannibalism in Orb-Web Spiders

Angelica Jones, 95!

"iolog# $ %ab &$'$$ ()urs*
+r* ,ercando
April -$, $$.
W)at benefits could sexual cannibalism possibl# )ave in orb-/eaving spiders0
,ales see1ing copulations ma# expose t)emselves to cannibalism from females t)at are
larger and stronger t)an t)e# are* 2et, researc) )as s)o/n t)at t)ere is an important
advantage of sexual cannibalism in orb-/eb spiders* In orb-/eaving spiders it )as been
found t)at t)e male spider /ill continue to tr# to mate /it) t)e female spider even after
)er initial attac1* After successfull# transferring sperm to t)e female t)e male spider is
partiall# cannibali3ed from t)e attac1* ()e cannibali3ed male /ill attempt to copulate
/it) t)e female even longer to decrease t)e c)ances of t)e female mating again*
()erefore t)e +4A of t)e particular male spider is insured to be passed on even if t)e
male must sacrifice )is life*
()e significance of sexual cannibalism in t)ese spiders all depends on t)e timing
of male deat)* 5emale and male spiders bot) )ave paired genital organs* ()e female
spiders are able to mate multipl# )o/ever, t)e males of usuall# )ave limited mating rates
because t)e# can use eac) mating organ onl# once 6Sc)neider, $$78* +uring copulation
/it) a male t)e female /ill attac1 t)e spider and usuall# damage a pedipalps, mating
organ* ()e male /ill continue to tr# to mate /it) t)e female* ()is increases t)e duration
of copulation t)erefore increase t)e amount of sperm transferred* ,ales benefit from
sacrificing t)eir lives during copulation t)ereb# increasing t)e c)ance of paternit#* ()e
researc) s)o/s t)at sexual cannibalism ma# )ave evolved as a response to sperm
competition* Sperm competition is t)e competition bet/een t)e sperm of t/o or more
males for fertili3ation of a limited number of ova* "ecause females can mate more t)an
once a male t)at is cannibali3ed in t)e course of mating gains )ig)er paternit# t)an a
male t)at escapes* In man# orb-/eb spiders copulation duration is found to be linearl#
correlated /it) sperm transfer so t)at t)e statistical dominance of spermato3oa
determines relative paternit#* 9ence, cannibali3ed males copulate for longer time periods*
()e duration of copulation )as long been identified as one of t)e most critical variables
explaining success in sperm competition* 6Sc)neider, $$78* In a stud# done b#
6Sc)neider, $$78 on Argiope bruennichi species females attac1ed ever# male
immediatel# after )e inserts*