The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.

Many predators display two foraging modes, an ambush strategy and a cruising mode. These foraging strategies have been classically studied in energetic, biomechanical and ecological terms, without considering the role of signals produced by predators and perceived by prey. Wolf spiders are a typical...

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Main Authors: Jérôme Casas, Thomas Steinmann, Olivier Dangles
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2346553?pdf=render
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spelling doaj-3816e03c02c8485ca21d020f7968d3422020-11-24T21:56:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032008-01-0135e211610.1371/journal.pone.0002116The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.Jérôme CasasThomas SteinmannOlivier DanglesMany predators display two foraging modes, an ambush strategy and a cruising mode. These foraging strategies have been classically studied in energetic, biomechanical and ecological terms, without considering the role of signals produced by predators and perceived by prey. Wolf spiders are a typical example; they hunt in leaf litter either using an ambush strategy or by moving at high speed, taking over unwary prey. Air flow upstream of running spiders is a source of information for escaping prey, such as crickets and cockroaches. However, air displacement by running arthropods has not been previously examined. Here we show, using digital particle image velocimetry, that running spiders are highly conspicuous aerodynamically, due to substantial air displacement detectable up to several centimetres in front of them. This study explains the bimodal distribution of spider's foraging modes in terms of sensory ecology and is consistent with the escape distances and speeds of cricket prey. These findings may be relevant to the large and diverse array of arthropod prey-predator interactions in leaf litter.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2346553?pdf=render
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Jérôme Casas
Thomas Steinmann
Olivier Dangles
spellingShingle Jérôme Casas
Thomas Steinmann
Olivier Dangles
The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.
PLoS ONE
author_facet Jérôme Casas
Thomas Steinmann
Olivier Dangles
author_sort Jérôme Casas
title The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.
title_short The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.
title_full The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.
title_fullStr The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.
title_full_unstemmed The aerodynamic signature of running spiders.
title_sort aerodynamic signature of running spiders.
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
series PLoS ONE
issn 1932-6203
publishDate 2008-01-01
description Many predators display two foraging modes, an ambush strategy and a cruising mode. These foraging strategies have been classically studied in energetic, biomechanical and ecological terms, without considering the role of signals produced by predators and perceived by prey. Wolf spiders are a typical example; they hunt in leaf litter either using an ambush strategy or by moving at high speed, taking over unwary prey. Air flow upstream of running spiders is a source of information for escaping prey, such as crickets and cockroaches. However, air displacement by running arthropods has not been previously examined. Here we show, using digital particle image velocimetry, that running spiders are highly conspicuous aerodynamically, due to substantial air displacement detectable up to several centimetres in front of them. This study explains the bimodal distribution of spider's foraging modes in terms of sensory ecology and is consistent with the escape distances and speeds of cricket prey. These findings may be relevant to the large and diverse array of arthropod prey-predator interactions in leaf litter.
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2346553?pdf=render
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