Rivet-like nest-building and agonistic behaviour of Thiania bhamoensis, an iridescent jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae) from Singapore

Abstract

This is the first detailed description of nest-building and fighting behaviour of Thiania bhamoensis Thorell, an iridescent jumping spider species, commonly known as fighting spiders in South-east Asia. Its nest-spinning behaviour is unusual for a jumping spider. Thiania bhamoensis built a silken nest by binding a pair of green leaves together with strong silken rivets. Spiders rested, moulted, and oviposited in the narrow space between the bound leaves. Egg sacs are usually flattened and densely woven for a salticids. However, the egg sac of T. bhamoensis was sealed to a leaf in the rivet-like nest but was not contiguous with the silken components (i.e., rivets) of the nest. Pairwise fights between males were staged in the laboratory and videotaped. Twelve major displays were identified, showing a large repertoire of agonistic displays of this species. The behaviour of T. bhamoensis is also discussed in relation to hypotheses concerning salticid evolution.