Condition-dependent female chemical signals and adaptive male mate choice in the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope bruennichi
Final Report Abstract
In this project, we studied condition- and state-dependent variation in female chemical signals using the orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi. The evolution of female sexual signals and the criteria underlying adaptive male mate choice decisions are still under studied. Males of A. bruennichi mostly mate with one female only due to sexual cannibalism and genital damage the damage of their secondary mating organs during copulation. At the same time, females in a population vary considerably in their fecundity. Hence, making a suboptimal mating decision will critically affect a male`s life-time reproductive success. We combined chemical analyses of females with behavioral assays to investigate (1) whether male mate choice is based on variation in female chemical cues as previous behavioral observations indicated, (2) whether this is due to contact of volatile cues, and (3) whether females can adjust their signaling effort to maximize their fitness returns and minimize costs. We confirmed our prediction that male mate choice is based on the amount of pheromone released by females. Moreover, we could show that the amount of pheromone produced by a female depends on her mating status, age, and body condition, which in spiders is a strong indicator for fecundity. We conclude that the pheromone of A. bruennichi serves as an honest signal for male mate choice. Our analyses of the chemical profiles of males and females revealed not only sex-specific but also family specific patterns. Hence, chemical cues from male and female cuticles provide the potential for kin recognition and inbreeding-avoidance.
Publications
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Family-specific chemical profiles provide potential kin recognition cues in the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope bruennichi. Biology Letters, 17(8), 20210260.
Weiss, Katharina & Schneider, Jutta M.
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Female sex pheromone emission is affected by body condition, but not immune system function, in the orb‐web spider Argiope bruennichi. Ethology, 128(6), 471-481.
Weiss, Katharina & Schneider, Jutta M.
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Identification of Cuticular and Web Lipids of the Spider Argiope bruennichi. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 48(3), 244-262.
Gerbaulet, Moritz; Möllerke, Anton; Weiss, Katharina; Chinta, Satya; Schneider, Jutta M. & Schulz, Stefan
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Strategic pheromone signalling by mate searching females of the sexually cannibalistic spiderArgiope bruennichi. Royal Society Open Science, 9(1).
Weiss, Katharina & Schneider, Jutta M.
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Pheromone dynamics in virgin and mated females of the sexually cannibalistic orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi (Araneidae). The Journal of Arachnology, 51(2).
Weiss, Katharina & Schneider, Jutta M.
