SOCIALITY OF SPIDERS OF THE GENUS ANELOSIMUS (ARANEAE: THERIDIIDAE), WITH FOCUS ON SPECIES IN SOUTHEAST AND EAST ASIA

Abstract

AS A MODEL SYSTEM IN THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION OF SOCIALITY IN SPIDERS, THE GENUS ANELOSIMUS (ARANEAE: THERIDIIDAE) IS WELL STUDIED IN THE NEW WORLD BUT LITTLE IS KNOWN OF SPECIES IN ASIA. THEREFORE, THE GOAL OF THIS THESIS WAS TO SUPPLEMENT KNOWLEDGE OF ASIAN ANELOSIMUS AND EXPLORE FACTORS AFFECTING THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIALITY IN THIS GENUS. THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY INCLUDES TEN NEWLY DESCRIBED SPECIES WITH INFORMATION ON NATURAL HISTORY. SEVEN SPECIES IN ASIA WERE DETERMINED TO BE SOLITARY AND THREE SPECIES ARE SUBSOCIAL. SUBSOCIAL SPECIES WERE FOUND TO HAVE A LOWER DENSITY OF MECHANORECEPTORS. DISTRIBUTION OF ANELOSIMUS WAS FOUND TO BE AFFECTED BY RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE. FINALLY, EXAMINATION OF NEST CONTENTS REVEALED HIGHER DENSITY OF NEST INTRUDERS IN SOLITARY SPECIES AS COMPARED TO SUBSOCIAL SPECES. INFECTION BY THE ENDOSYMBIONT, WOLBACHIA WAS MORE PREVALENT IN SOCIAL SPECIES. THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIALITY IN ASIAN ANELOSIMUS IS DISCUSSED.