Differences in sexual behaviour of two distant populations of the funnel-web wolf spider Aglaoctenus lagotis

Generally, sexual repertoire within a species is conserved, but frequencies of occurrence of sexual behavioral acts often vary, and wide geographic distributions may favor these variations. Aglaoctenus lagotis is distributed along South America and belongs to Sosippinae, a subfamily of wolf spiders that builds funnel webs. Previous reports, based on different populations, suggested variations in sexual behavior and life cycle. Our objective was to describe and compare the sexual behavior of two populations of A. lagotis: ‘Southern Uruguay’ (SU) and ‘Central Argentina’ (CA). We carried out intrapopulation trials, in the laboratory, with 15 female–male pair matings. The most representative courtship acts in SU were web-stretching, striding-forward and forelegs-elevating, whereas in CA they were alternate-waving, web-stretching and leg-tapping. Juddering, forelegs-elevating and striding-forward were exclusive for SU, while alternate-waving and simultaneous-waving were exclusive for CA. We also found differences in copulatory characteristics such as frequencies of insertions and ejaculations. We documented body-shaking during copulation for the first time. Some sexual acts were exclusive of each population, while the shared ones differed in pattern and frequencies of occurrence. In addition to variations in sexual periods, these differences may favor divergence processes or an exceptional high level of flexibility in the sexual behavior of A. lagotis.Fil: González Pérez, María de la Macarena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Cordoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecologia Animal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicas y Naturales. Catedra de Diversidad Animal I; Argentina. Instituto de Invest. Biologicas "clemente Estable"; UruguayFil: Peretti, Alfredo Vicente. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Cordoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecologia Animal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicas y Naturales. Catedra de Diversidad Animal I; ArgentinaFil: Viera, Carmen. Instituto de Invest. Biologicas "clemente Estable"; Uruguay. Universidad de la Republica; UruguayFil: Costa, Fernando G.. Instituto de Invest. Biologicas "clemente Estable"; Urugua

Sexual selection in neotropical spiders: Examples from selected groups

Spiders have long been noted as classic examples of sexual behavior among arachnids, including extreme sexual dimorphism in some groups, and behavioral adaptations to diverse mating patterns. In recent decades, studies on the biology of Neotropical spiders have offered novel information on processes related to reproductive biology, including sexual selection. The present chapter synthesizes the large amount of knowledge on sexual selection and associated subjects in spiders from the Neotropics. Some of the groups considered in this review are mygalomorphs, lycosids and related, orb-weaving species, tetragnathids, social species, pholcids, and oonopids, among others. Concepts, patterns, mechanisms, and prospects on different areas of sexual selection are shown in detail for all these groups. In particular, here we highlight selected examples of the different contexts in which male–female interactions occur, such as mate choice, sexual cannibalism, sperm competition, and cryptic female choice. We outline the potential evolutionary consequences according to those contexts, with a final selection of model groups for specific experimental and comparative investigations.Fil: Costa Smith, Luiz Ernesto. Universidad de Vale do Rio dos Sinos; BrasilFil: Albo, María José. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas "Clemente Estable"; UruguayFil: Bolatti, Fedra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Cargnelutti, Franco Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Calbacho Rosa, Lucía Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Copperi, Maria Sofia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Ferretti, Nelson Edgardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Izquierdo, Matías Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Peretti, Alfredo Vicente. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentin