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Present address: Department of Entomology, S-225 Ag Sci Bldg – North, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546–0091, USA.
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Senescence and food limitation in a slowly ageing spider
Article first published online: 13 DEC 2002
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2002.00685.x
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How to Cite
Moya-Laraño, J. (2002), Senescence and food limitation in a slowly ageing spider. Functional Ecology, 16: 734–741. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2002.00685.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 13 DEC 2002
- Article first published online: 13 DEC 2002
- Received 20 December 2001; revised 28 May 2002; accepted 20 June 2002
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- Burrowing wolf spider;
- Lycosa tarantula;
- reproductive performance;
- reproductive success;
- territorial predator
Summary
- 1Evidence for reproductive senescence in invertebrate natural populations is scant probably because most groups are short-lived or because they lack natural markers of age.
- 2Lycosa tarantula (L.) (the Mediterranean Tarantula) (Araneae, Lycosidae) is a slowly ageing burrowing wolf spider, in which females can reproduce for two consecutive seasons. Females in their first reproductive season (1Y) can easily be distinguished from females in their second reproductive season (2Y) because the lack of pilosity in the latter.
- 3The diet of 1Y and 2Y females was supplemented and their reproductive performance was compared with that of control, non-food supplemented females. The predictions were that senescent 2Y females would show a worse reproductive performance than 1Y females, and that they would not be able to improve their performance relative to 1Y after food supplementation.
- 4The predictions were met. Older females gained less mass, laid smaller egg sacs, produced fewer spiderlings and, if food supplemented, invested a smaller fraction of their mass in egg sacs. Although 2Y females foraged less actively than younger females, 2Y did not improve their performance relative to 1Y following food supplementation. This pattern of changes provides evidence for reproductive senescence in a natural spider population.