Chemical ecology and behaviour of spiders

Abstract

<P>OF THE VARIOUS COMMUNICATION MODES IN SPIDERS, CHEMICAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CONSPECIFICS AND AMONGST SPECIES IS LEAST STUDIED, ALTHOUGH THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE THAT CHEMICAL SIGNALS PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SPIDERS. IN THIS STUDY, I STUDIED VARIOUS COMPONENTS INVOLVING CHEMICAL SIGNALING THAT ARE THE FACETS OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR. FIRSTLY, I EXAMINED THE FORM, NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF EXTERNAL SENSORY ORGANS OCCURRING ON THE WALKING LEGS AND THE ADAPTATION TO CONSPECIFICS SIGNALING AND THE MODE OF THEIR LIVING ACROSS 5 DIFFERENT SPIDER GROUPS. SECONDLY, THROUGH THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MORPHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION AND FIELD STUDIES, I GAINED INSIGHTS ON HOW VARIOUS INTERACTIONS SUCH AS KLEPTOPARASITIC SPIDERS HOME IN ON HOST WEBS. THIRDLY, ASSESSMENTS WERE MADE TO DETERMINE HOW REGULATION OF SEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF FEMALE SUBSOCIAL SPITTING SPIDERS WAS AFFECTED BY MALE CONSPECIFICS PHEROMONE. FOURTHLY, I DETERMINED WHETHER AN AMBUSH HUNTING CRAB SPIDER TO LOCATE OF THE REFUGIA WAS