7.1 Prey deception in australian crab spiders  (Page 2/7)

All is fair in this game of love and war. Australian crab spiders thrive at prey deception, manipulating elements such as choice of floral species, floral color, position on the flower, and geographic location, all playing critical roles in their hunting success (Heiling et al. 2004, Heiling et al. 2005, Heiling et al. 2006). Winning crab spiders are essentially masterful marketers.

Who are these creatures?

Crab spiders (family: Thomisidae) are a fascinating subset of the Araneae order. They derive their name from their crab-like appearance and movements; their shape is flattened and angular, and they can even move sideways and backwards! Unlike many spiders, they forgo weaving webs to trap their prey in favor of an attack and ambush method. Accordingly, the front legs of crab spiders are powerful enough to trap their unsuspecting victims while they deliver a venomous bite.

Crab spiders are found all over the world. They come in abundant varieties; in fact, there are 170 genera in the family and over 2,000 known species! Differing species of crab spiders utilize flowers, plants and trees to hunt. While some spiders hide in deep crevices on tree bark and lurk until prey comes their way, others actively attract their victims using deception techniques. Their hunting technique and their physical qualities are strongly related.

Crab spiders (family: Thomisidae) are a fascinating subset of the Araneae order. They derive their name from their crab-like appearance and movements; their shape is flattened and angular, and they can even move sideways and backwards! Unlike many spiders, they forgo weaving webs to trap their prey in favor of an attack and ambush method. Accordingly, the front legs of crab spiders are powerful enough to trap their unsuspecting victims while they deliver a venomous bite.

Crab spiders are found all over the world. They come in abundant varieties; in fact, there are 170 genera in the family and over 2,000 known species! Differing species of crab spiders utilize flowers, plants and trees to hunt. While some spiders hide in deep crevices on tree bark and lurk until prey comes their way, others actively attract their victims using deception techniques. Their hunting technique and their physical qualities are strongly related.

The crab spiders from Australia, Thomisus spectabilis, and their hunting game

A variety of signals are transferred from plants to their pollinators. Many plants rely on other species to propagate their own. But what if you preyed on those pollinators? Would it not be advantageous to know exactly what looks most attractive to them? And could you be a more effective hunter if your presence added extra incentive? Combining these two concepts in hunting behavior is effective for the Australian crab spider, Thomisus spectabilis.

The Australian crab spider uses UV-contrast to attract their prey, the honeybee Apis mellifera , to the flowers they are occupying. The crab spiders must select the most likely flower a honeybee will possibly visit, however, to ensure the greatest levels of hunting success. The spiders use floral odor along with visual and tactile clues to pick the most enticing flower on which to sit. But what makes a flower particularly delectable to a honeybee?