a few spider species build webs live in large colonies , show social behavior, although not complex in social insects. anelosimus eximius (in family theridiidae) can form colonies of 50,000 individuals. genus anelosimus has strong tendency towards sociality: known american species social, , species in madagascar @ least social. members of other species in same family several different genera have independently developed social behavior. example, although theridion nigroannulatum belongs genus no other social species, t. nigroannulatum build colonies may contain several thousand individuals co-operate in prey capture , share food. other communal spiders include several philoponella species (family uloboridae), agelena consociata (family agelenidae) , mallos gregalis (family dictynidae). social predatory spiders need defend prey against kleptoparasites ( thieves ), , larger colonies more successful in this. herbivorous spider bagheera kiplingi lives in small colonies protect eggs , spiderlings. widow spiders (genus latrodectus), notoriously cannibalistic, have formed small colonies in captivity, sharing webs , feeding together.
Comments
Post a Comment