Metabolic responses to predation risk in a jumping spider
Journal
Journal of Zoology
Journal Volume
297
Journal Issue
1
Pages
9--14
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
Abstract
Abstract Predators not only consume prey but also modify the traits of prey (e.g. physiology and behaviour). This study examined how the metabolic rate of prey (measured by CO 2 release) changes as they perceive the presence of a predator in a laboratory setting. The jumping spider H asarius adansoni was used as the study subject. Two species of jumping spiders, P lexippus paykulli and P tocasius strupifer , and the oriental fruit fly B actocera dorsalis were used as visual cues. P l. paykulli is larger than H . adansoni and was used as a cue of predators. P t. strupifer (smaller than H . adansoni ) and B . dorsalis were used as reference controls. The response of H . adansoni to P l. paykulli was dynamic, with CO 2 release first increasing with the detection of the predator and then decreasing to a low level. Similar responses were not observed when H . adansoni detected the other species. The results show that H . adansoni reacts to visual cues of predation threat by rapidly changing its metabolic rate and suggest that the dynamic expressions of metabolism contain rich information about how H . adansoni perceives the environment.
SDGs
Type
journal article