Sexual Selection in Neotropical Spiders: Examples from Selected Groups

LUIZ ERNESTO COSTA-SCHMIDT,; MARÍA JOSÉ ALBO; FEDRA BOLLATTI; FRANCO CARGNELUTTI; LUCÍA CALBACHO-ROSA; SOFÍA COPPERI; NELSON FERRETTI; MATÍAS IZQUIERDO; ALFREDO V. PERETTI

Behaviour and Ecology of Spiders Contributions from the Neotropical Region

Springer International Publishing

Año: 2017; p. 303 - 350

Spiders have long been noted as classic examples of sexual behavioramong arachnids, including extreme sexual dimorphism in some groups, and behavioraladaptations to diverse mating patterns. In recent decades, studies on the biologyof Neotropical spiders have offered novel information on processes related toreproductive biology, including sexual selection. The present chapter synthesizesthe large amount of knowledge on sexual selection and associated subjects in spidersfrom the Neotropics. Some of the groups considered in this review are mygalomorphs,lycosids and related, orb-weaving species, tetragnathids, social species,pholcids, and oonopids, among others. Concepts, patterns, mechanisms, and prospectson different areas of sexual selection are shown in detail for all these groups.In particular, here we highlight selected examples of the different contexts in whichmale?female interactions occur, such as mate choice, sexual cannibalism, spermcompetition, and cryptic female choice. We outline the potential evolutionary consequencesaccording to those contexts, with a final selection of model groups forspecific experimental and comparative investigations.