Author： Barrantes Gilbert Eberhard William G.
Publisher： Taylor & Francis Ltd
ISSN： 1464-5262
Source： Journal of Natural History, Vol.41, Iss.25-28, 2007-01, pp. : 1631-1658
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Abstract
We traced the evolution of silk use by spiders in attacks on prey by combining previous publications with new observations of 31 species in 16 families. Two new prey-wrapping techniques are described. One, in which the spider holds a tense line (often covered with viscid silk) with both legs IV and applies it to the prey with a simultaneous movement of both legs, may be a synapomorphy linking Theridiidae, Nesticidae, and Synotaxidae. The other, in which the spider stands over the prey and turns in place, is apparently very ancient; it occurs in Theraphosidae, Tengellidae, and Agelenidae. The use of legs IV to wrap prey is described for the first time in Filistatidae and Scytodidae. Using a recent phylogeny of spiders, we propose that prey wrapping with legs IV has evolved convergently at least four times. We propose that prey wrapping originally evolved from egg-sac construction behaviour.
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