Influence of Spatial Heterogeneity and Prey Density on Predatory
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Anim. Sci.), Vol. 92, Number 6, November 1983, pp. 429435 © Printed in India. Influence of spatial heterogeneity and prey density on predatory beha viour of the tropical spiders Cyrtophora cicatrosa (Stollczka] and Marpissa calcutaensis (Tikader) [Araneae, Araneidae) S PALANICHAMY P G and Research Department of Zoology, Arulmigu Palaniandavar College of Arts and Culture, Palni 624 602. India MS received 17 January 1983; revised 23 May 1983 Abstract. Tropical spiders C. cicatrosa and M. calcutaensis were allowed to predate individually in different terraria at different prey densities. Both the species were satiated within 5 hr of predation in all the volumes. Prey density exerted significant influence on the predatory behaviour of both the species. The predation increased with increasing prey density, but the volume of terraria exerted only marginal influence. The functional response curve of C. cicatrosa and M. calcutaensis was neither linear nor sigmoid. but was curvilinear representing type II response of Holling's model. Keywords. Predatory behaviour; prey density; Cyrtophora cicatrosa; Marpissa calcuta ensis. 1. Introduction Spiders are known to achieve phenomenal densities in natural situations and consume astronomical quantities of insects; but these alone are not sufficient to demonstrate a significant role for them in the regulation of insect population. Rather they must be shown, by field observation or experimentation, to destroy prey in a density-dependent fashion (Greenstone 1978). They may be important to the balance of nature, but considerable quantitative evidence is lacking. Although a few publications are available on temperate spiders (Kajak 1965; Dabrowska Prot eta11966; 1968; Kajaketal1968; Sandness and McMurtry 1970; Hardman and Turnbull 19-74), the present study was undertaken to investigate the influence of spatial heterogeneity and prey density on the predatory behaviour of tropical spiders Cyrtophora cicatrosa and Marpissa calcutaensis. 2. Material and methods C. cicatrosa, an orb-weaving spider with much evolved spinnerts, generally longer legs with specialised claws and silk glands (Palanichamy 1980) and M. -calcutaensis, a hunting spider which does not spin its webs with small spinnerts, strong and stout legs, were collected from nearby fences of Euphorbia antiquorum at Palni (10 0 23'N 77°31' E). They were acclimated to laboratory conditions (30±I°C; RH 60-80%) and fed on mosquito, Culex fatigans for seven days. C. cicatrosa and M. calcuta nesis feed mainly on dipterans, hymenopterans, hemipterans and orthopterans in 429 430 S Palanichamy the field. C. fatigans which could be easily cultured in the laboratory were used as prey organisms in this work. Adult females were used and food was deprived to them for 24 hr before the experiments began. Culex [atigans served as prey, were cultured from the larval stages in the laboratory and only the adults which emerged during the day were used for feeding and experimental spiders (Palanicharny 1980). Thirty individuals of each species were divided into six sets, each comprising five individuals. They were reared individually in transparent terraria of different volumes such as 25, SO, 100, 200 and 1000 mm' and supplied with five adult C. fatigans per terrarium: the corresponding prey density was 0.2.0.1,0.05,0.025,0.01 and 0.005 fly/rnm', respectively. Similarly five series of experiments were conducted on prey density using 10, 20, SO, 100 and 200 C.fatigans/terrarium. The animals were released into the terraria containing a known number of test prey and the number of prey captured was replaced as and when they were captured to maintain a constant prey density. Those mosquitoes which were chewed into food balls were counted as 'killed', chewed remains of prey were counted as 'consumed' and prey dying from other causes noted as 'dead', Dead ones and spider silk were removed daily with a camel hair brush. 3. Results 3.1 Satiation An animal is said to be satiated when it no longer accepts the offered prey after a period of active predation and feeding. The time from the start of feeding to voluntary cessation is the satiation time (Brett 1971). Satiation time was about 5 hr in the tested spiders irrespective of the volume of terraria. The number of 14 ~10 ! z5 > ...QI Cl. 6 2 o 8 12 Time (hrl F1pre 1. Predation of C. cicatrosa and M. calcutaensis at SOO mm- terrarium at the density of 20 flies/terrarium as a function of time. Predatory behaviour oftropical spiders 431 C. fatigans predated as a function of successive periods of C. cicatrosa and M. calcutaensis when allowed to predate in the terrarium volume of 500 mm-. is shown in figure 1. About 50%of the prey were predated within the first 1 hr and the predation decreased during subsequent 1 hr intervals. Table 1. Mosquito predation by C. cicatrosa and M. calcutaensis in relation to prey density at different terraria volume. C. cicatrosa M. calcutaensis Volume of Prey Prey killed Prey consumed Prey killed Prey consumed Terraria density (No.) (No.) (No.) (No.) (mm-) (No.) 5 3.2 ± 0.2 2.3 ± 0.2 3.5 ± 0.3 3.3 ± 0.2 10 6.2 ± 0.4 4.8 ± 0.3 7.8 ± 0.5 4.9 ± 0.4 25 20 9.1 ±0.5 6.6 ± 0.4 9.7 ± 0.8 6.6 ± 0.5 50 14.2 ± 0.9 9.6 ± 0.7 15.2 ± 1.1 10.1 ± 0.7 100 18.0 ± 1.3 11.9 ± 0.9 18..6 ± 1.4 12.6 ± 1.1 200 5 4.2 ± 0.4 2.6 ± 0.2 4.0 ± 0.3 3.9 ± 0.3 10 6.7 ± 0.5 5.1 ± 0.3 8.1 ± 0.5 5.4 ± 0.4 50 20 9.3 ± 0.7 6.9 ± 0.4 10.1 ± 0.7 6.9 ±O.7 50 14.7 ± 1.2 9.7 ± 0.7 15.6 ± 1.2 10.5 ± 0.9 100 18.4 ± 1.4 12.4 ± 1.0 19.0 ± 1.4 12.7 ± 1.1 200 5 4.6 ± 0.3 2.9 ± 0.2 4.8 ± 0.4 4.0 ± 0.3 10 7.1 ± 0.5 5.6 ± 0.4 8.5 ± 0.6 5.6 ±O.5 100 20 10.1 ± 0.7 7.1 ± 0.5 10.7 ± 0.8 7.2 ± 0.6 50 14.9 ± 1.0 10.9 ± 0.7 16.0 ± 1.4 10.9 ± 1.0 100 18.9 ± 1.2 10.5 ± 0.8 19.6 ± 1.6 13.2 ± 1.1 200 19.4 ± 1.4 12.8 ± 0.9 19.9 ± 1.5 13.4 ± 1.2 5 4.8 ± 0.3 3.1 ± 0.2 5.0 ±0.4 4.1 ± 0.2 10 7.5 ± 0.5 5.8 ± 0.3 8.9 ± 0.7 5.9 ± 0.4 200 20 10.5 ± 0.6 7.6 ± 0.4 11.3 ± 0.9 7.6 ± 0.6 50 15.4 ± 0.9 10.5 ± 0.6 16.4 ± 1.2 11.0 ± 0.8 100 19.2 ± 1.1 12.8 ± 0.9 19.7 ± 1.4 13.4 ± 1.0 200 19.7 ± 1.3 13.1 ± 1.0 20.4 ± 1.4 .13.7 ± 1.1 5 5.0 ± 0.3 3.3 ± 0.2 5.0 ± 0.3 4.3 ± 0.3 10 7.7 ± 0.5 6.1 ± 0.4 9.2 ± 0.5 6.4 ±0.3 500 20 10.9 ± 0.7 8.3 ± 0.6 11.5 ± 0.8 8.0 ± 0.4 50 15.7 ± 1.2 10.9 ± 1.0 16.7 ± 1.1 11.2 ± 0.8 100 19.7 ± 1.4 13.1 ± 1.0 20.0 ± 1.3 13.7 ± 0.9 200 20.1 ± 1.6 13.8 ± 1.4 21.0 ± 1.6 14.1 ± 1.2 5 5.0 ± 0.4 3.9 ± 0.3 5.0 ± 0.4 4.7 ± 0.4 10 8.1 ± 0.5 6.3 ± 0.4 9.7 ± 0.7 6.9 ± 0.5 1000 20 11.0 ± 0.8 8.7 ± 0.6 11.9 ± 0.8 8.4 ±·0.5 50 16.1 ± 1.1 11.5 ± 0.7 17.1 ± 1.2 11.5 ± 0.9 100 19.7 ± 1.2 13.4 ± 0.9 2004 ± 1.4 13.9 ± 1.0 200 20.3 ± 1.4 14.1 ± 1.1 21.6 ± 1.7 14.9 ± 1.2 Each value represents the mean (±S.D) of 5 individuals. 432 S Palanichamy Table 2. Mosquito predation by C. cicatrosa and M. calcutaensis; rate of predation as a function of prey density and volume of terraria. Density of Volume of Terraria (rnm-) prey (No.) 25 50 100 200 500 1000 C. cicatrosa 5 0.18 0.24 0.27 0.28 0.29 0.29 10 0.36 0.39 0041 0.44 0043 0.47 20 0.55 0.54 0.59 0.61 0.64 0.65 50 0.83 0.86 0.87 0.90 0.92 0.94 100 1.05 1.08 1.11 1.12 1.14 1.15 200 1.14 1.15 1.18 1.19 M. calcutaensis s 0.20 0.27 0.28 0.29 0.29 0.29 10 0045 0047 0.50 0.52 0.54 0.57 20 0.57 0.59 0.63 0.66 0.68 0.70 50 0.89 0.91 0.94 0.96 0.98 1.00 100 1.09 1.10 1.44 1.15 1.17 1.20 200 1.17 1.20 1.23 1.27 3.2 Predation as a function ofspatial heterogeneity The volume of terraria exerted only marginal influence on the predatory behaviour of C.