Second male sperm priority in Pholcus manueli would suggest that males are more likely to choose mated females to increase chances of paternity. It is possible in P. manueli, a type of cellar spider, that under predation the males would be less likely to be selective on the mating status of the female they court with. However, studies on mating have shown that, in the presence of predators, male spiders are likely to change their courtship behaviors. Previous studies have shown variability in response such as: reduced courtship and less discrimination on mating status of the female. This study was done to see how male P. manueli would adjust their courtship behavior based on two variables: female mating status (virgin or mated) and predator cue presence (no-cue or cue). The results suggest that males do adjust their searching behaviors (web plucking, web tasting, and tarsus tasting) in the presence of a predator cue. For the courtship behaviors relating more to the direct interaction (such as leg tapping, pedipalp extension, and adjusting) with the female spider in the web, there did not seem to be any significance when the predator cue was applied to the male. Males tended to perform more searching behaviors in the presence of a mated female regardless of the predator cue. This is likely because of their second male (last out) sperm priority. Currently, there does not seem to be a significance in the frequency of courtship behaviors when the predator cue is applied when in the presence of virgin females.
Author(s): Emma Neff-Friel
Advisor(s): Ann Rypstra, Department of Biology
Alexander Salazar, Department of Biology
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