Prey-capture techniques and prey preferences of Aelurillus Aeruginosus, A. cognatus, and A. kochi, ant-eating jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) from Israel

Abstract

Aelurillus aeruginosus, A. cognatus, and A. kochi feed on ants in nature. Prey-capture techniques and prey preferences of each of these species from Israel were studied in the laboratory using a wide range of ants and other insects. Each usually attacked ants head on, but there was no regular orientation of attacks on other insects. When attacking ants, but not other prey, each species tended to stab several times before holding on. In three different types of tests for prey preference, 'well-fed' (fed 5 days prior to testing) and 'starved' (fed 15 days prior to testing) individuals of each species took dolichoderine, formicine, and myrmicine ants in preference to a variety of other insects (Diptera, Hemiptera, Isoptera, and Pscoptera). When extra-starved (21-day fast), however, each species took ants and other insects indiscriminately. Testing with laboratory-reared salticids showed that preference and prey-capture behavior did not depend on prior experience with ants. When tested with dead, motionless lures, the same preferences were found, indicating that the spiders can distinguish between different types of prey without reference to their different movement patterns and chemical cues. Results from this study are discussed in relation to recent findings on other specialized salticids.