Armoured spiderman: morphological and behavioural adaptations of a specialised araneophagous predator (Araneae: Palpimanidae)

In a predator–prey system where both intervenients come from the same taxon, one can expect a strong selection on behavioural and morphological traits involved in prey capture. For example, in specialised snake-eating snakes, the predator is unaffetced by the venom of the prey. We predicted that similar adaptations should have evolved in spider-eating (araneophagous) spiders. We investigated potential and actual prey of two Palpimanus spiders (P. gibbulus, P. orientalis) to support the prediction that these are araneophagous predators. Specific behavioural adaptations were investigated using a high-speed camera during staged encounters with prey, while morphological adaptations were investigated using electron microscopy. Both Palpimanus species captured a wide assortment of spider species from various guilds but also a few insect species. Analysis of the potential prey suggested that Palpimanus is a retreat-invading predator that actively searches for spiders that hide in a retreat. Behavioural capture adaptations include a slow, stealthy approach to the prey followed by a very fast attack. Morphological capture adaptations include scopulae on forelegs used in grabbing prey body parts, stout forelegs to hold the prey firmly, and an extremely thick cuticle all over the body preventing injury from a counter bite of the prey. Palpimanus overwhelmed prey that was more than 200% larger than itself. In trials with another araneophagous spider, Cyrba algerina (Salticidae), Palpimanus captured C. algerina in more than 90% of cases independent of the size ratio between the spiders. Evidence indicates that both Palpimanus species possesses remarkable adaptations that increase its efficiency in capturing spider prey.     

Chemical-sensory characterization of dairy manure odor using headspace solid-phase microextraction and multidimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry-olfactometry

Livestock operations are associated with emissions of odor, gases, and particulate matter. The majority of previous livestock odor studies focused on swine operations whereas relatively few relate to dairy cattle. Identifying the compounds responsible for the primary odor impact is a demanding analytical challenge because many critical odor components are frequently present at very low concentrations within a complex matrix of numerous insignificant volatiles. The objective of this study was to describe a chemical-sensory profile of dairy manure odor using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (MDGC-MS-O). Two analytical approaches were used: (1) HS-SPME time-series extractions (from seconds up to 20 hr) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O) analyses, and (2) relatively short HS-SPME extractions (30 min) followed by MDGC-MS-O analyses on selected chromatogram heart-cuts. Dairy manure was collected at research dairy farms in the United States and Israel. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) resolved from multiple analyses included sulfur-containing compounds, volatile fatty acids, ketones, esters, and phenol/indole derivatives. A total of 86 potential odorants were identified. Of them, 17 compounds were detected by the human nose only. A greater number of VOCs and odorous compounds were detected, as well as higher mass loading, on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers observed for longer extractions with SPME. However, besides sulfur-containing compounds, other selected compounds showed no apparent competition and displacement on the SPME fiber. The use of MDGC-MS-O increased chromatographic resolution even at relatively short extractions and revealed 22 additional odorants in one of the regions of the chromatogram. The two analytical approaches were found to be parallel to some extent whereas MDGC-MS-O can also be considered as a complementary approach by resolving more detailed chemical-sensory odor profiles.     

Indirect genetic benefits of polyandry in a spider with direct costs of mating

The search for the evolutionary explanation of polyandry is increasingly focused on direct and indirect selection on female resistance. In a polyandrous spider Stegodyphus lineatus, males do not provide material benefits and females are resistant to remating. Nevertheless, polyandrous females may obtain indirect genetic benefits that offset the costs associated with multiple mating. We manipulated the opportunity for females to select between different partners and examined the effect of female mating history (mated once, mated twice, or rejected the second male) on offspring body mass, size, condition, and survival under high- and low-food rearing regimens. We found that multiple mating, not female choice, results in increased female offspring body mass and condition. However, these effects were present only in low-food regimen. We did not find any effects of female mating history on male offspring variables. Thus, the benefits of polyandry depend not only on sex, but also on offspring environment. Furthermore, the observed patterns suggest that indirect genetic benefits cannot explain the evolution of female resistance in this system.     

Seasonal variations of polybrominated flame retardants bound to car dust under Mediterranean climate

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs) are commercial flame retardants that have been commonly used in vehicle interior to reduce fire-related hazards. Due to high temperatures and intense insolation that can be attained inside cars parked in the sun, additive PBDEs are prone to leach out and attach to in-vehicle dust, as well as to photo-debrominate. This study examines seasonal variations of concentrations of three common PBDE congeners(BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-209) in car dust in Israel. The overall concentrations of these BDEs ranged from 1 to 29 μg/g, and were higher in the summer than in the winter(average of 10.2 and5.3 μg/g, respectively). Congener-specific concentrations showed distinct seasonal pattern,representing the interplay between leaching, evaporation and photodebromination. Photolysis of the three congeners, while adsorbed on glass filters and exposed to solar radiation, revealed first order kinetics with debromination rates on the order of 10-2/min. Hence, seasonal variations of the meteorological conditions were found to affect the in-vehicle PBDE concentrations, and are therefore expected also to affect the exposure of passengers to PBDEs.     

Adapting empirical equations to Lake Kinneret data by using three calibration methods

This paper examines whether the relationships between a number of characteristic limnological variables (suspended particulate matter, turbidity, Secchi depth, light attenuation, and chlorophyll a) determined for temperate lakes are consistent with the relationships found in Mediterranean lakes such as Lake Kinneret. We found that the use of published relationships between lake variables may lead to erroneous results when applied indiscriminately to other lake types.     

Thermal constraints on prey-capture behavior of a burrowing spider in a hot environment

Summary Seothyra henscheli (Eresidae) is a burrowing spider that lives in the dune sea of the southern Namib Desert, Namibia. Prey capture by these spiders involves a foray from a cool subterranean retreat to the undersurface of a capture web that can be lethally hot. Striking, disentangling and retrieving prey from the capture web typically involves several short trips to the capture web, alternating with retreats to the cool burrow. It has been suggested that this behavior limits the increase of body temperature a spider must experience while working at the hot capture web. We used biophysical models in conjunction with direct observations of prey-capture behavior and distributions of sand temperature to estimate body temperatures experienced by S. henscheli during prey capture. In the circumstances we observed, only the relatively long post-strike retreat from the capture web is important in keeping spiders' body temperatures from exceeding their lethal limits. After the post-strike retreat, shuttling appreciably limits the increase in body temperature of small individuals, but may have little effect on body temperature increase in larger spiders. Correspondence to: J.S. Turner at the present address