J. Exp. Zool. India Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 813-816, 2019 www.connectjournals.com/jez ISSN 0972-0030 STUDIES ON HABIT AND HABITAT, EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY, FEEDING CAPACITY AND PREY PREFERENCE OF GRAY WALL JUMPER , BIVITTATUS (DUFOUR)

S. N. Chaubey*, R. S. Mishra and P. R. Yadav1 Department of Zoology, S.D.J. P. G. College, Chandeshwar, Azamgarh - 276 128, India. 1Department of Zoology, D. A. V. College, Muzaffarnagar - 251 001, India. *e-mail : [email protected] (Received 30 December 2018, Accepted 26 February 2019)

ABSTRACT : Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate habit and habitat, external morphology, feeding capacity and prey preference of gray wall jumper spider, Menemerus bivittatus (Dufour) collected from various places of Azamgarh district of U.P. It is a member of family Salticidae usually found on the walls of buildings or on tree trunks. The are about nine millimeter long, the male being slightly smaller than the female.Both young and old spiders feed mainly on small flies which alight on walls. They do not build a web but instead, stalk their prey before launching an attack by leaping on the victim. Male spiders of this species possess a stridulatory apparatus, which consists of several long bristles on the palpal femur and a series of horizontal ridges on the outer side of the . Sound is generated when the spider rubs these ridges up and down against the palpal teeth. Key words :Menemerus bivittatus, habit and habitat, external morphology, feeding capacity, prey preference, economic importance, bio-control agent.

INTRODUCTION species, making it the largest family of spiders with about Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing 13% of all species. Jumping spiders have good vision that have eight legs and chelicerae with fangs that and use it for hunting and navigating. They are capable inject venom. They are the largest order of and of jumping from place to place, secured by a silk tether. rank seventh in total species diversity among all These are generally recognized by their eye pattern. All other orders of organisms. Spiders are found worldwide jumping spiders have four pairs of eyes with very large on every continent except for Antarctica and have become anterior median eyes. These are generally diurnal active established in nearly every habitat with the exceptions of hunters. Their well developed internal hydraulic system air and sea colonization. extends their limbs by altering the pressure of body fluid (haemolymph) within them. This enables the spiders to Spiders plays an important role in regulating insect jump without having large muscular legs like a pests in the agricultural ecosystem. They consume a large grasshopper. Most jumping spiders can jump several times number of insect pests and do not damage plants. They the length of their body. can achieve and equilibrium in pest control, after which their own numbers are suppressed by their territoriality Jumping spiders are active hunters, which means, that and cannibalism. For some time, spiders have been they do not rely on a web to catch their prey. Instead, considered important predators which help regulate the these spiders stalk their prey. They use their superior population densities of insect pests (Tanaka, 1989). In eyesight to distinguish and track their intended meals, often particular, spider communities in areas with a temperate for several inches. Then they pounce, giving the insect climate achieve equilibrium in the control of agricultural little to no time to react before succumbing to the spider’s pests. In spite of this, they have not usually been treated venom. as an important biological control agent, because there is Vijayalakshmi and Ahimaz (1993) have given a so little information on the ecological role of spiders in descriptive account of spiders. Gajbe (2004) has provided pest control (Riechert and Lockley, 1984). a detailed account of spiders of Jabalpur, Madhya The family (Salticidae) contains more Pradesh. Rao et al (2005) have described fauna than 500 described genera and about 5,000 described of Nallamalai region, Eastern Ghats Andhra Pradesh (India) and Majumder (2007) has given a detailed account 814 S. N. Chaubey et al of taxonomic studies of some spiders from Mangrove and alcohol in a closed pair of petridish overnight before Semi-Mangrove areas of Sunderban. Chaubey and Mishra transferring to tubes for permanent preservation. The glass (2016 and 2017) have reported Cyrtophoraci catrosa vial containing preserved specimens were stoppered by a (Stolockza) and Euctacham berlini (Simon) from U.P. rubber cork to prevent evaporation of alcohol. India. Chaubey and Yadav (2017) have also reported Alternatively, glass vials were plugged by cotton and Plexippus paykuli (Audeuin) from various places of group of these tubes were then placed in large bottle Azamgarh district of U.P. They have described various containing alcohol. This was the method used for aspects of these spiders and suggested for use of spiders preserving most specimens. Each collecting tube enclosed as bio-control agents in controlling insect pests of crop a label indicating the collection data. Collection data fields (Chiu, 1979 and Tanaka, 1989). includes the name of the collector, place of collection, From the review of literature, it appears that role of date of collection and habitat of collection. spiders as bio-control agents in agriculture, poultry as Photography : Live photographs of all important well as in controlling house-hold insects is being studied spiders were taken with the help of Web Cam of 12 mega in various parts of the world, but unfortunately, no proper pixel attached to computer. For taking alive photographs, investigation, regarding role of these efficient bio-control the spiders were anesthetized with mild doses of agents in India is scanty. chloroform in specimen tubes. Generally, major diagnostic In the present investigation, therefore, it has been features such as dorsal view, ventral view, ocular area proposed to find out habit and habitat, external and side view were taken for the study. Natural morphology, preying capacity and prey preference of photographs of spiders were taken while they were feeding Menemerus bivittatus, a jumping spider collected from on insects. various places of Azamgarh district in U.P. (India). Identification : It was done on the basis of MATERIALS AND METHODS morphometric characters of various body parts. The help was mainly taken from the keys and catalogues provided Collection of spiders : Individuals of Menemerus by Biswas and Biswas (2003), Nentwig et al (2003) and bivittatus were collected from crop fields, orchards, Plantik (2004). ornamental and wild plants. Study of prey choice : To study the prey choice of Mehods of collection : Following techniques were the collected spiders, adult house flies, rice moth, used for collection of spiders: mosquitoes and their larvae and small insects were Jarring : The foliage spider fauna was collected by supplied to spiders which were kept under rearing jerking the plants on a cloth sheet, from which the chambers. specimens were transferred alive in to plastic containers Each rearing chamber (9.5 cm height, 6.0 cm length having pores in their corks for aeration and brought to and width) was consisted of transparent plastic containers. the laboratory for studies. The lid of each container was provided with small holes Direct hand picking : Collection of most web for aeration. Since, spiders are highly cannibalistic, building spiders was made by direct hand picking with individual spiders were kept in separate chambers. the help of test tubes. To study prey choice, spiders were kept starved for Inverted Umbrella : In this method an inverted 24 h, then each spider was supplied with larvae and adults umbrella was placed below flowering shoots and bushes of moths, house flies and mosquitoes along with small and when the tree or branch was thoroughly shaken, insects collected from houses and surroundings (five spiders along with insects fallen to the inverted umbrella. individuals of each kind of prey in each rearing chamber). After removing leaves, spiders were transferred into After 12h number of fed and live prey individuals were collecting tubes. counted to find out preference of their prey. Attempts were Preservation : Before the spiders were permanently also made to take live photographs while spiders were preserved they were arranged properly. For this, collected feeding the prey. specimens were transferred into petridish containing Study of preying potential : For this purpose spiders Isopropyl alcohol. It was kept covered undisturbed for were kept starved for 24h and then each spider was about 2 or 3 hours in order to allow the relaxation of supplied with various kinds of insect pests like adult body muscles. The body parts like legs, abdomen, and moths, house flies and mosquitoes (ten individuals of each palps were then arranged in a life like manner with the type) separately in their individual rearing chambers. After help of forceps and brush. Spiders were then kept in 12h, dead, fed and live prey were counted. Habit and habitat, external morphology, feeding capacity and prey preference of M. bivittatus 815

1

2 3

Menemerus bivittatus: Fig. 1 : Antero dorsal view of male, Fig. 2: Female preying on moth, Fig. 3 : Dorsal view of female.

Statistical analyses : Each experiment was repeated generally paler and much brown, with a larger carapace ten times and student’s t-test was applied for comparison and abdomen (Fig. 3). Her carapace is edged with two between two sample means. black bands and a thin white stripe and her abdomen is RESULTS edged with broad black stripes on each side which unite at the posterior end. Her legs are banded but are paler Habits and Habitat : Menemerus bivittatus is a than those of the male. Immature spiders resemble the spider in the Salticidae family commonly known as female. the gray wall jumper. It is a pantropical species and is usually found on the walls of buildings, on tree trunks The female gray wall jumper builds an egg sac in a and crop fields where it stalks its prey. crack or other concealed position in which she lays 25 to 40 eggs in a purse-like silken case. She guards the eggs Description : Gray wall jumpers are dorso-ventrally until they hatch in about three weeks time after which the flattened and are covered with short dense, grayish-white young spiders disperse. hairs. There are tufts of dark brown bristles near the large, forward-facing eyes. The spiders are about nine Both young and old spiders feed mainly on small flies millimetres long, the male being slightly smaller than the which alight on walls. They do not build a web but instead, female (Figs. 1 and 3). The male has a blackish stalk their prey before launching an attack by leaping on longitudinal dorsal stripe with a brownish-white stripe the victim. They have high visual acuity and their large on either side of the abdomen. The carapace and chelicerae eyes are able to focus on objects and detect different are also black and white and the legs have transverse colours. They use their highly coordinated jumping ability bandings of the same colours (Fig. 1). The female is to capture their prey and to move from one place to 816 S. N. Chaubey et al Table 1 : Feeding potential/ prey preference of Menemerus bivittatus. Type/Number of prey consumed/24h / Spider( Mean ± S.D.) S.No. Lepidoptera Diptera Homoptera Orthoptera Coleoptera Total 1 12 12 8 8 0 41 2 14 11 7 7 1 40 3 13 14 8 6 0 41 4 15 11 5 7 1 39 5 13 10 7 5 0 35 6 11 12 6 4 1 34 7 13 10 8 7 0 37 8 10 11 5 5 1 32 9 13 12 8 6 0 39 10 14 9 6 5 1 35 Mean±S.D. 12.80±1.48 11.20±1.40a 06.80±1.23b 06.00±1.25* 0.50±0.52a 37.30±3.16a another. They are capable of capturing insects such as Chaubey S N and Mishra R S (2016) Habit and habitat, morphology, crane flies that are at least twice their own size. Similar feeding capacity and prey preference of six humped dome spider, Cyrtophora cicatrosa Stoliczka. Journal of Applied observations have also been made by Mishra (2012). Bioscience 42(2), 109-113. In India, this common spider is found on the outer Chaubey S N and Mishra R S (2017b) Study on the morphology, walls of buildings and on tree trunks. It moves actively feeding capacity and prey preference of long jawed spider, about in search of small insect prey (Fig. 2), often Euctachamberlini(simon). J. Exp. Zool. India 20(1), 61-65. vibrating its hairy palps as it walks. Chaubey S N and Yadav P R (2017) Studies on habit and habitat, external morphology, feeding capacity and prey preference of Economic importance : As is clear from Table 1, it zebra jumper spider Plexippus paykuli (Audeuin). J. Exp. Zool. feeds on various types of insects. It acts as an efficient India 20(2), 901-905. bio-control agent in crop fields. Gajbe P (2004) Spiders of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh (Arachnida: Remark : This spider is being reported for the first Araneae). Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. pp. 1-154. time from U.P. (India), in present investigation. It was Majumder S C (2007) Pictorial Handbook on Spiders of Sunderbans found feeding actively on moth pests (Fig. 2). West Bengal: 1-137. (Published by the Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata). DISCUSSION Mishra R S (2012) Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis entitled “Studies on Results regarding habit and habitat, morphology and the role of predatory insects in biological control of rice pests preying capacity obtained in the present investigation of middle east (U.P.)” V.B.S. Purvanchal University Jaunpur. resemble the findings of Mishra (2012). Its carnivorous Nentwig W, Hänggi A, Kropf C and Blick T (2003) Central European Spiders determination key. www.araneae.unibe.ch (assessed habit may be compared with those of other spider species 8.12.2003). which play an important role in reducing the densities of Platnick N I (2007) The world spider catalog, version 8.0. American plant hoppers and leafhoppers (Tanaka, 1989). Museum of Natural History. Online at http:// ACKNOWLEDGEMENT research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html. Authors are thankful to Dr. Shanker Talukder and Rao T K, Bastawade D B, Maqsood Javed S M and Siva Rama Krishna I (2005) Arachnid fauna of Nallamalai Region, Eastern Dr. Thirumali, Scientist-F, Zoological Survey of India, Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India, Rec. Zool. Surv. India, Occ. Kolkata for providing necessary literature, to Dr. D.P. Paper No. 239, 1-42. (Published by the Director, Zool. Surv. Dwivedi former Principal for valuable suggestions. India, Kolkata). C.S.I.R. New Delhi is deeply acknowledged for providing Riechert S E and Lockley T (1984) Spiders as biological control BOD incubator during work on research project No. 37/ agents. Annual Review of Entomology 29, 299-320. 1332/08/EMRII sanctioned to the main author Dr. S.N. Tanaka K (1989) Movement of spiders in arable land. Plant Chaubey. Protection 43(1), 34-39. Vijayalakshmi K and Ahimaz P (1993) Spiders: An Introduction. REFERENCES Published by Cre-A: 268 Royapettah High Road Madras Biswas B K and Biswas K (2003) Fauna of Sikkim (Araneae: 600014. Printed: at Sudersan Graphics Madras 600017 pp. 1- Spiders). State fauna Series, 3, 357-500. 112.