Can male wolf spiders discriminate between cannibalistic and non-cannibalistic females based on chemical cues alone?
Previous studies have documented wolf spiders ability to discriminate between chemical cues of predators fed different diets. Since many species of lycosid are sexually cannibalistic, male spiders may benefit from discriminating between cannibalistic and non-cannibalistic females. In the wolf spider Rabidosa hentzi, we tested adult male activity level and avoidance behavior to excreta and silk associated with adult female conspecific Rabidosa hentzi fed either a wolf spider diet or an insect diet of domestic crickets (Acheta domesticus) and mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) (n = 15/treatment). A single R. hentzi was maintained on filter paper for 24 hours, after which the papers from both predator sources were simultaneously presented to a different R. hentzi from each diet treatment group. R. hentzi locomotor behavior was measured in each treatment and initial chemical cue preference was recorded using an automated video tracking system. (Ethovision 3.0) . Results will be discussed.
