Re: Biology Of Spiders Foelix Pdf 18
Tiago Proulx
First published in 1979, this was the first textbook on spiders since 1930. Over 200 illustrations are included as well as an extensive reference section. The only modern textbook available on the subject, this will prove an invaluable resource for professionals, students, and researchers in zoology, entomology, ecology and physiology.
I have a strong phobia for spiders but find them strangely fascinating too. Makes me think reading about them would help with some of the fears. Living in the south, there are so many different species and they are everywhere!
Praise for Biology of Spiders, 2nd Edition:
"The biology of spiders often receives only cursory treatment in invertebrate zoology textbooks. This superb volume corrects this deficiency. It is an excellent primary textbook for an arachnology course or a supplementary one for an invertebrate zoology or entomology course. It is also a good introduction for anyone interested in this fascinating group of organisms. . . . No other general textbook on spiders exists that is as current and informative as the Biology of Spiders."-The Quarterly Review of Biology
The introductory chapter has been written especially for readers unfamiliar with the finer details of spider systematics, terminology and biology. The introduction is by no means intended to be a complete account of spider biology, which can be found in the excellent Biology of Spiders by Rainer Foelix (1996). Instead, here we concentrate on those aspects of spider biology that prepare the reader for the behavioural chapters to follow. The sections on systematics, fossil record and evolutionary milestones will help place the various behaviours discussed into an evolutionary context. The biology section will familiarise the reader with the spider-specific terminology and reveal some of the peculiarities of spiders: did you know that in modern spiders females have two separate copulatory openings and that spiders can produce up to seven different types of silk? For readers already familiar with spiders, the introduction offers a succinct and up-to-date summary of spider biology.
The aim of this book is to illustrate the incredible diversity and often bewildering complexity of spider behaviour. Researchers that regularly work with spiders are well aware of their behavioural potential, and yet spiders still surprise us constantly with behaviours and phenomena that are intriguing, often bizarre and uncommon in other animals. Here we aim to enthuse readers that may have not considered spiders as models for behavioural studies, perhaps assuming that they are limited in their behavioural repertoires.
New York: Oxford University Press, (1996. second edition). Octavo, paperback, text illustrations.
Talks about various aspects of spider biology. This work emphasises ecology and systematics., This work is an updated translation by the author of the second German-language edition from Thieme Verlag, published under licence agreement with that publisher under dual imprint. This is the definitive text on all aspects of spider biology.
Containing five hundred new references, this book incorporates the latest research while dispelling many oft-heard myths and misconceptions that surround spiders. Of special interest are chapters on the structure and function of spider webs and silk, as well as those on spider venom. A new subchapter on tarantulas will appeal especially to tarantula keepers and breeders. The highly accessible text is supplemented by exceptional, high-quality photographs, many of them originals, and detailed diagrams. It will be of interest to arachnologists, entomologists, and zoologists, as well as to academics, students of biology, and the general reader curious about spiders.
This publication is intended as a general introduction to some of the common and charistmatic spiders found in Florida. While this is not a comprehensive list, it will serve as a helpful resource for anyone looking to identify a spider or learn more about the biology of spiders they encounter. This publication is accompanied by a coloring book ( ) for all ages, a creative educational tool for parents, educators, Extension agents, and any member of the public interested in spiders.
There are four different species of Argiope that can be found in Florida: yellow garden orb weavers (Argiope aurantia), banded orb weavers (A. trifasciata), silver orb weavers (A. argentata), and Florida garden spiders (A. florida) (Figure 1). Females of this genus are among the largest and most conspicuous web-building spiders and are similar in size to the golden silk orb weaver (see below) while males are tiny (Elgar 1991; Griffith and Gillett-Kaufman 2019). While these large spiders are common in gardens, they pose no threat to humans and provide essential biological control for insect pests. The abdominal color patterns of Argiope spp. and the lack of tufts of hair on the legs easily distinguishes them from the golden silk orb weavers (see Figure 1 vs. Figure 4). Argiope spp. often adorn their webs with unique silk decorations called stabilimenta that form zigzag patterns (Figure 1d). The functions of these stabilimenta are the subject of much scientific debate; they may make the web more conspicuous to attract insect prey, they may make the spider look larger to predators, and/or they may keep larger animals such as birds from accidentally flying or walking into the web and destroying it (Eisner and Nowicki 1983; Blackledge 1998; Abrenica-Abrat et al. 2015).
During the day, bolas spiders in the genus Mastophora rest on leaves mimicking bird poop (Figure 3a). At night, they use a special strategy to hunt their prey. Rather than building an orb web like most members of the family Araneidae, bolas spiders hunt using a ball of sticky glue (Figure 3b) that they swing from a silk line to catch moths (Yeargan 1994). Many species are known to mimic pheromones produced by female moths; these pheromones (airborne chemical signals used in communication) attract male moths that are out looking for mates. The spiders lure in these moths and capture them with their sticky bolas (Yeargan 1994).
The golden silk orb weaver (Trichonephila clavipes) is also commonly known as the banana spider in Florida. Their silk is particularly renowned for its golden hue and extreme strength among spiders (Vollrath 2000). Female golden silk orb weavers often have smaller spiders lurking in their webs, including tiny males that are a fraction of their size (Figure 4) (Elgar 1991; Weems Jr. and Edwards 2011). Another occupant often found in the web of T. clavipes are the small kleptoparasitic dewdrop spiders (Argyrodes sp.) that nibble on the prey left behind (Agnarsson 2003).
Males and females of the southern house spider look very different from one another. Males are light brown and lanky (Figure 6a), while females are velvety dark brown with thicker bodies (Figure 6b) (Edwards and McCanless 2000). Males are often mistaken for brown recluses, but a closer look can help distinguish them: southern house spiders have eight eyes (brown recluses have only six), and they have very long pedipalps (appendages that extend from the face, almost appearing as an additional pair of legs) (Figure 6a). Kukulcania hibernalis often build their thick, messy webs in urban habitats, such as the corners of window eaves.
Pirate spiders (Mimetidae) have a unique hunting technique to capture and eat other spiders. They creep into the webs of other spiders and use their legs to pluck on their silk lines. When the resident spider, expecting prey or a mate, comes out to investigate, the pirate launches a surprise attack and eats them (Jackson and Whitehouse 1986; Kloock 2001). While pirate spiders are known mostly to eat other spiders, they also consume some insect prey (Kloock 2001).
Green lynx spiders are often found on vegetation where they sit and wait for prey (Figure 9a, Weems Jr. and Whitcomb 2004). These spiders have distinctive spiny setae (hairs) on their legs (Figure 9b). The green lynx spider is often green in color, as the common name suggests, but one of their most unique features is their ability to change color to match the background of their environment (Robertson et al. 1994). Scientists do not yet understand the mechanisms that allow them to change color, but individuals can be found in nature ranging from yellow to green to pink to purple (pers. obs.). Like many spider families, the lynx spiders have a distinct eye arrangement unique to the family Oxyopidae (Figure 9b).
As their common name suggests, these spiders are often found in or near water sources. They are able to capture fish, frogs, and other small vertebrates but primarily eat invertebrates (Figure 11, Bleckmann and Lotz 1987, Zimmermann and Spence 1989). Female fishing spiders can be aggressive and kill potential mates, a phenomenon known as sexual cannibalism (Johnson and Sih 2005).
At least eleven species of tiny jumping spiders in the genus Habronattus can be found in Florida (Griswold 1987; Coco and Taylor 2017). Habronattus jumping spiders are common inhabitants of backyards, gardens, and organic farms. Like all jumping spiders (i.e., all members of the family Salticidae), Habronattus have enlarged, forward-facing eyes (known as the anterior median eyes) and exceptional vision (Harland and Jackson 2012, see Figure 12). Male Habronattus jumping spiders are known for their elaborate courtship dances that combine color, motion, and substrate-borne vibrations, all presumably to impress females (Elias et al. 2012; Taylor et al. 2014; Blackburn and Maddison 2015). This genus is also unique among jumping spiders for their enhanced color vision and the ability to see and discriminate colors ranging from ultraviolet to red (Zurek et al. 2015).
Magnolia green jumping spiders are distinctive with their translucent green coloration (Figure 13). Males have striking red-orange jaws that they show off to other males in ritualized contests (fights) to win female mates (Figure 13b) (Tedore and Johnsen 2012). As their common name implies, magnolia green jumping spiders are commonly found on the leaves of magnolia trees. However, they are not restricted or specialized to magnolias or plants in general; they are found on sweetgum trees, palmettos (Richman and Whitcomb 1981), various other plants, and all manner of other things, such as cars and compost bins.
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