17
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
0 collections
    0
    shares
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: not found

      THE STABILIMENTUM OF THE ORB WEB SPIDER, ARGIOPE ARGENTATA: AN IMPROBABLE DEFENCE AGAINST PREDATORS

      ,
      The Canadian Entomologist
      Cambridge University Press (CUP)

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisher
      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          The stabilimentum of orb web spiders is a structure for which several functions, both mechanical and defensive, have been suggested.Argiope argentata(Fabricius) builds a stabilimentum in the form of a white diagonal cross. Analysis of over 2500 webs of this species shows that the perfect cross is seldom built and nearly two thirds of the webs contain no stabilimentum at all. Experiments with wild birds as predators show that they can use stabilimentum-like models in prey location. From these data, and a review of the defensive adaptations of orb web spiders, it is argued that theA.argentatastabilimentum is not an anti-predator device. The evidence for a mechanical function is reviewed and discussed. It is suggested that the stabilimentum provides the spider with a means of making a final adjustment to the mechanical state of the web when this is necessary.

          Related collections

          Most cited references3

          • Record: found
          • Abstract: not found
          • Book: not found

          Histoire naturelle des araignées. /

            Bookmark
            • Record: found
            • Abstract: not found
            • Article: not found

            Predatory Behavior ofArgiope argentata(Fabricius)

              Bookmark
              • Record: found
              • Abstract: not found
              • Article: not found

              Some Observations on the Ecological Variation and Development of the Cruciate Zigzag Camouflage Device of Argiope pulchella (Thor.).

                Bookmark

                Author and article information

                Journal
                applab
                The Canadian Entomologist
                Can Entomol
                Cambridge University Press (CUP)
                0008-347X
                1918-3240
                June 1970
                May 2012
                : 102
                : 06
                : 641-655
                Article
                10.4039/Ent102641-6
                9b5219c9-ca67-4d4b-9f97-240499979691
                © 1970
                History

                Comments

                Comment on this article