Warring arthropod societies: Social spider colonies can delay annihilation by predatory ants via reduced apparency and increased group size

Behavioural Processes

Volumn 119, Issue , 2015, Pages 14-21

  Keiser, Carl N ^a   Wright, Colin M ^a   Pruitt, Jonathan N ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH   (United States)

Author keywords

Anoplolepis custodiens; Group apparency; Group size; Predation risk; Stegodyphus dumicola

Indexed keywords

ANT; ARTHROPOD; COLONY STRUCTURE; GROUP SIZE; HABITAT STRUCTURE; KEYSTONE SPECIES; MOTH; NATURAL ENEMY; PREDATION RISK; RISK ASSESSMENT; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR; SPIDER; SPIDER WEB; SURVIVORSHIP;

ADULT; ANIMAL BEHAVIOR; ANIMAL EXPERIMENT; ANIMAL SOCIETY; ANOPLOLEPIS CUSTODIENS; ANT; ARTHROPOD; ARTHROPOD COMMUNITY; ARTICLE; COLONY COLLAPSE; CONTROLLED STUDY; FEMALE; FORAGING; HABITAT; LAG TIME; NATURAL ENEMY; NONHUMAN; ORGANISM COLONY; ORGANISM GROUP SIZE; PERSONALITY; PREDATION; PREDATION RISK; PREDATOR PREY INTERACTION; SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT; SPIDER; STEGODYPHUS DUMICOLA; SURVIVAL; ANIMAL; PHYSIOLOGY; POPULATION DENSITY; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR;

ANIMALIA; ANOPLOLEPIS CUSTODIENS; ARANEAE; ARTHROPODA; FORMICIDAE; LEPIDOPTERA; STEGODYPHUS DUMICOLA;

ANIMALS; ANTS; BEHAVIOR, ANIMAL; FEMALE; POPULATION DENSITY; PREDATORY BEHAVIOR; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR; SPIDERS;

EID: 84938099820     PISSN: 03766357     EISSN: 18728308     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.07.005     Document Type: Article

References (67)

1. Addison P., Samways M. A survey of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that forage in vineyards in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Afr. Entomol. 2000, 8:251-260.
2. Birkhofer K., Bird T., Bilde T., Lubin Y. Spatial patterns of social spider colonies in Namibia reflect habitat features and dispersal modes. Trans. R. Soc. South Afr. 2014, 69:157-163.
3. Blackledge T.A., Gillespie R.G. Estimation of capture areas of spider orb webs in relation to asymmetry. J. Arachnol. 2002, 30:70-77.
4. Boesch C. Cooperative hunting in wild chimpanzees. Anim. Behav. 1994, 48:653-667.
5. Brown C., Irving E. Individual personality traits influence group exploration in a feral guppy population. Behav. Ecol. 2014, 25:95-101.
6. Craig C., Wolf S., Davis J., Hauber M., Maas J. Signal polymorphism in the web-decorating spider argiope argentata is correlated with reduced survivorship and the presence of stingless bees, its primary prey. Evolution 2001, 55:986-993.
7. Creel S., Creel N.M. Communal hunting and pack size in African wild dogs, Lycaon pictus. Anim. Behav. 1995, 50:1325-1339.
8. Dyer J.R., Croft D.P., Morrell L.J., Krause J. Shoal composition determines foraging success in the guppy. Behav. Ecol. 2009, 20:165-171.
9. Eggleston D.B., Lipcius R.N. Shelter selection by spiny lobster under variable predation risk, social conditions, and shelter size. Ecology 1992, 992-1011.
10. Elton C. Territory among wood ants (Formica rufa L.) at Picket Hill. J. Anim. Ecol. 1932, 1:69-76.
11. Evans T.A. Factors influencing the evolution of social behaviour in Australian crab spiders (Araneae: Thomisidae). Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 1998, 63:205-219.
12. Feeny P. Plant Apparency and Chemical Defense, Biochemical Interaction Between Plants and Insects 1976, Springer.
13. Fielde A.M., Hubbard J., Strong O. Power of recognition among ants. Biol. Bull. 1904, 7:227-250.
14. Foster, W., Treherne, J. 1981. Evidence for the dilution effect in the selfish herd from fish predation on a marine insect.
15. Goodall J., Bandora A., Bergmann E., Busse C., Matama H., Mpongo E., Pierce A., Riss D. Intercommunity interactions in the chimpanzee population of the Gombe national park. Great Apes 1979, 5:13-53.
16. Grinsted L., Pruitt J.N., Settepani V., Bilde T. Individual personalities shape task differentiation in a social spider. Proc. R. Soc. B: Biol. Sci. 2013, 280.
17. Hall S., Wardle C., MacLennan D. Predator evasion in a fish school: test of a model for the fountain effect. Mar. Biol. 1986, 91:143-148.
18. Hamilton W.D. Geometry for the selfish herd. J. Theor. Biol. 1971, 31:295-311.
19. Henschel J.R. Predation on social and solitary individuals of the spider Stegodyphus dumicola (Araneae, Eresidae). J. Arachnol. 1998, 26:61-69.
20. Higgins L.E., Buskirk R.E. A trap-building predator exhibits different tactics for different aspects of foraging behaviour. Anim. Behav. 1992, 44:485-499. Part 3.
21. Johannesen J., Hennig A., Dommermuth B., Schneider J.M. Mitochondrial DNA distributions indicate colony propagation by single matri-lineages in the social spider Stegodyphus dumicola (Eresidae). Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 2002, 76:591-600.
22. Keiser C., Jones D., Modlmeier A., Pruitt J. Exploring the effects of individual traits and within-colony variation on task differentiation and collective behavior in a desert social spider. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 2014, 68(5):839-850.
23. Keiser C.N., Jones D.K., Modlmeier A.P., Pruitt J.N. Exploring the effects of individual traits and within-colony variation on task differentiation and collective behavior in a desert social spider. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 2014, 68:839-850.
24. Keiser C.N., Modlmeier A.P., Singh N., Jones D.K., Pruitt J.N. Exploring how a shift in the physical environment shapes individual and group behavior across two social contexts. Ethology 2014, n/a-n/a.
25. Keiser C.N., Pruitt J.N. Personality composition is more important than group size in determining collective foraging behaviour in the wild. Proc. R. Soc. B: Biol. Sci. 2014, 281.
26. Kruuk H., Sands W.A. The aardwolf (Proteles cristatm Sparrman) 1783 as predator of termites. Afr. J. Ecol. 1972, 10:211-227.
27. Laskowski K.L., Pruitt J.N. Evidence of social niche construction: persistent and repeated social interactions generate stronger personalities in a social spider. Proc. R. Soc. B: Biol. Sci. 2014, 281:20133166.
28. Leborgne R., Lubin Y., Pasquet A. Kleptoparasites influence foraging behaviour of the spider Stegodyphus lineatus (Araneae, Eresidae). Insectes Soc. 2011, 58:255-261.
29. Löhr B. The pugnacious ant, Anoplolepis custodiens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and its beneficial effect on coconut production in Tanzania. Bull. Entomol. Res. 1992, 82:213-218.
30. Longhurst C., Howse P. The use of kairomones by Megaponera foetens (Fab.)(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the detection of its termite prey. Anim. Behav. 1978, 26:1213-1218.
31. Longino J.T., Coddington J., Colwell R.K. The ant fauna of a tropical rain forest: estimating species richness three different ways. Ecology 2002, 83:689-702.
32. Lührs M.L., Dammhahn M., Kappeler P. Strength in numbers: males in a carnivore grow bigger when they associate and hunt cooperatively. Behav. Ecol. 2012.
33. Matsuura M. Ecological study on vespine wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) attacking honeybee coloniesI. Seasonal changes in the frequency of visits to apiaries by vespine wasps and damage inflicted, especially in the absence of artificial protection. Appl. Entomol. Zool. 1988, 23:428-440.
34. McComb K., Shannon G., Durant S.M., Sayialel K., Slotow R., Poole J., Moss C. Leadership in elephants: the adaptive value of age. Proc. R. Soc. B: Biol. Sci. 2011, 278:3270-3276.
35. Milinski M., Lüthi J.H., Eggler R., Parker G.A. Cooperation under predation risk: experiments on costs and benefits. Proc. R. Soc. London B: Biol. Sci. 1997, 264:831-837.
36. Modlmeier A.P., Laskowski K.L., DeMarco A.E., Coleman A., Zhao K., Brittingham H.A., McDermott D.R., Pruitt J.N. Persistent social interactions beget more pronounced personalities in a desert-dwelling social spider. Biol. Lett. 2014, 10:20140419.
37. Modlmeier A.P., Liebmann J.E., Foitzik S. Diverse societies are more productive: a lesson from ants. Proc. R. Soc. B: Biol. Sci. 2012, 279:2142-2150.
38. Mooring M.S., Hart B.L. Animal grouping for protection from parasites: selfish herd and encounter-dilution effects. Behaviour 1992, 123:173-193.
39. Mori K., Saito Y. Nest-size variation reflecting anti-predator strategies in social spider mites of Stigmaeopsis (Acari: Tetranychidae). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 2004, 56:201-206.
40. Pamminger T., Modlmeier A.P., Suette S., Pennings P.S., Foitzik S. Raiders from the sky: slavemaker founding queens select for aggressive host colonies. Biol. Lett. 2012, 8:748-750.
41. Philpott S.M., Armbrecht I. Biodiversity in tropical agroforests and the ecological role of ants and ant diversity in predatory function. Ecol. Entomol. 2006, 31:369-377.
42. Powell G. Experimental analysis of the social value of flocking by starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in relation to predation and foraging. Anim. Behav. 1974, 22:501-505.
43. Prestwich G. Defense mechanisms of termites. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 1984, 29:201-232.
44. Pruitt J.N. Behavioural traits of colony founders affect the life history of their colonies. Ecol. Lett. 2012.
45. Pruitt J.N. A real-time eco-evolutionary dead-end strategy is mediated by the traits of lineage progenitors and interactions with colony invaders. Ecol. Lett. 2013.
46. Pruitt J.N., Grinsted L., Settepani V. Linking levels of personality: personalities of the 'average' and 'most extreme' group members predict colony-level personality. Anim. Behav. 2013.
47. Pruitt J.N., Keiser C.N. The personality types of key catalytic individuals shape colonies' collective behaviour and success. Anim. Behav. 2014, 93:87-95.
48. Purcell J., Avilés L. Gradients of precipitation and ant abundance may contribute to the altitudinal range limit of subsocial spiders: insights from a transplant experiment. Proc. R. Soc. B: Biol. Sci. 2008, 275:2617-2625.
49. Rayor L.S. Attack strategies of predatory wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae; Sphecidae) on colonial orb web-building spiders (Araneidae: Metepeira incrassata). J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 1996, 26:67-75.
50. Rayor L.S., Uetz G.W. Ontogenetic shifts within the selfish herd: predation risk and foraging trade-offs change with age in colonial web-building spiders. Oecologia 1993, 95:1-8.
51. Rice W.R. Analyzing tables of statistical tests. Evolution 1989, 43:223-225.
52. Roberts G. Why individual vigilance declines as group size increases. Anim. Behav. 1996, 51:1077-1086.
53. Rypstra A.L., Tirey R.S. Prey size, prey perishability and group foraging in a social spider. Oecologia 1991, 86:25-30.
54. Schneider J.M., Bilde T. Benefits of cooperation with genetic kin in a subsocial spider. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 2008, 105:10843-10846.
55. Schneider J.M., Roos J., Lubin Y., Henschel J.R. Dispersal of Stegodyphus dumicola (Araneae, Eresidae): they do balloon after all!. J. Arachnol. 2001, 29:114-116.
56. Settepani V., Grinsted L., Granfeldt J., Jensen J.L., Bilde T. Task specialization in two social spiders, Stegodyphus sarasinorum (Eresidae) and Anelosimus eximius (Theridiidae). J. Evol. Biol. 2013, 26:51-62.
57. Sloan Wilson D., Clark A.B., Coleman K., Dearstyne T. Shyness and boldness in humans and other animals. Trends Ecol. Evol. 1994, 9:442-446.
58. Stanford C.B. The influence of chimpanzee predation on group size and anti-predator behaviour in red colobus monkeys. Anim. Behav. 1995, 49:577-587.
59. Treherne J., Foster W. Group transmission of predator avoidance behaviour in a marine insect: the Trafalgar effect. Anim. Behav. 1981, 29:911-917.
60. Uetz G.W., Boyle J., Hieber C.S., Wilcox R.S. Antipredator benefits of group living in colonial web-building spiders: the 'early warning' effect. Anim. Behav. 2002, 63:445-452.
61. Uetz G.W., Hieber C.S. Group size and predation risk in colonial web-building spiders: analysis of attack abatement mechanisms. Behav. Ecol. 1994, 5:326-333.
62. Vander Meer R.K., Alonso L.E. Pheromone Directed Behavior in Ants. Pheromone Communication in Social Insects 1998, 3-33. Westview Press, Oxford.
63. Wallis D. Aggressive behaviour in the ant, Formica fusca. Anim. Behav. 1962, 10:267-274.
64. Whitehouse M.E., Jaffe K. Ant wars: combat strategies, territory and nest defence in the leaf-cutting ant Atta laevigata. Anim. Behav. 1996, 51:1207-1217.
65. Wilson M.L., Britton N.F., Franks N.R. Chimpanzees and the mathematics of battle. Proc. R. Soc. London B: Biol. Sci. 2002, 269:1107-1112.
66. Yip E.C. Ants versus spiders: interference competition between two social predators. Insectes Soc. 2014, 61:403-406.
67. Yip E.C., Rayor L.S. Do social spiders cooperate in predator defense and foraging without a web?. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 2011, 65:1935-1947.