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Response to chemical cues in male and female Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) wolf spiders

Plunkett, Andrea D.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1281988609

Abstract Details

2010, MS, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences.
In predatory animals such as spiders, females are often aggressive or potentially cannibalistic, and thus selection has favored males that recognize females and signal their identity and intent to mate at a distance. This often involves recognition of chemical cues or signals (pheromones) from females. Chemical communication is an important part of the mating process in the wolf spider Schizocosa ocreata, as cues associated with female silk are sufficient to elicit courtship from males. However, it is not known whether females also respond to chemical cues associated with male silk. Although responses of males to airborne chemical cues from females have been demonstrated in some spider species, this has not been well examined in S. ocreata. In this study, I examine how both male and female S. ocreata wolf spiders respond to silk-borne and airborne chemical cues from members of the same or opposite sex. I collected silk from mature males and females onto a piece of filter paper and recorded the amount of time that spiders spent in a stimulus chamber containing male silk, female silk, and no silk (control). Males spent more time on female silk, while females spent significantly less on female silk, but neither sex showed a significant difference between male silk and a control. In addition, I conducted studies in an olfactometer in which subjects were exposed to airborne chemical cues from a male spider, female spider, male silk, female silk, or a blank control. I scored the choice made as well as specific male courtship behaviors. Males and females showed no significant directional response to airborne cues from either sex, but males displayed courtship behaviors most often and at higher rates when exposed to airborne cues from females. Furthermore, I compared the rates of male courtship behaviors between airborne chemical cues and silk-borne cues from females and found that silk elicited higher rates of courtship than airborne chemical cues. I conclude that chemical communication in this species is unidirectional and female-originated, and most effective in stimulating courtship when associated with silk.
George Uetz, PhD (Committee Chair)
Michal Polak, PhD (Committee Member)
Alan Cady, PhD (Committee Member)
52 p.
Biology
chemical communication; wolf spiders; Schizocosa ocreata; chemical cues

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Plunkett, A. D. (2010). Response to chemical cues in male and female Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) wolf spiders [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1281988609

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Plunkett, Andrea. Response to chemical cues in male and female Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) wolf spiders. 2010. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1281988609.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Plunkett, Andrea. "Response to chemical cues in male and female Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) wolf spiders." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1281988609

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1281988609
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.