Fulltext

Asymmetry in Orb-Webs: An Adaptation to Web Building Costs?

Coslovsky, Michael ; Zschokke, Samuel

In: Journal of Insect Behavior, 2009, vol. 22, no. 1, p. 29-38

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    Titel
    • Asymmetry in Orb-Webs: An Adaptation to Web Building Costs?
    Autor
    • Coslovsky, Michael. Department of Environmental Sciences, Section of Conservation Biology, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 10, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
    • Zschokke, Samuel. Department of Environmental Sciences, Section of Conservation Biology, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 10, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
    Dokumententyp
    • Postprint
    Sprache
    • Englisch
    Veröffentlicht in
    • Journal of Insect Behavior, 2009, vol. 22, no. 1, p. 29-38. Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com
    Andere elektronische Ausgabe
    OAI-PMH-ID
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:316665
    Summary
    Orb-web spiders build vertically asymmetric webs, in which the lower part is larger than the upper part. One hypothesis explaining this asymmetry suggests that the spider's mass imposes higher building costs in the upper part of the web, causing the spider to reduce this part of the web. We tested this hypothesis by assessing building costs of different parts of the web. We found that the specific time-cost of building (i.e. the time required to build a certain length of silk) differed between the two parts of the web and that the difference in time-costs influenced web asymmetry. Contrary to predictions, however, building costs were larger in the lower part of the web, suggesting that additional factors affect the spider's decisions while building the web, which are likely to be prey-capture considerations