Academic literature on the topic 'Evarcha culicivora'

Evarcha culicivora is an unusual salticid spider because it feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as preferred prey. Its preferred mosquitoes are Anopheles , the genus to which all human malaria vectors belong. Here, we show that human odour, which is known to be salient to malaria vectors, is also salient to the adults and juveniles of E. culicivora . Test spiders spent more time in the vicinity of a source of human odour (previously worn socks) when the alternative was unworn socks.

Evarcha culicivora, an East African jumping spider, is known for feeding indirectly on vertebrate blood by actively choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as prey. Using cold-anthrone tests to detect fructose, we demonstrate thatE. culicivoraalso feeds on nectar. Field-collected individuals, found on the plantLantana camara, tested positive for plant sugar (fructose). In the laboratory,E. culicivoratested positive for fructose after being kept withL. camaraor one of another ten plant species (Aloe vera, Clerodendron magnifica, Hamelia patens, Lantana montevideo, Leonotis nepetaefolia, Parthenium hysterophorus, Ricinus communis, Senna didymobotrya, Striga asiatica, andVerbena trivernia). Our findings demonstrate thatE. culicivoraacquires fructose from its natural diet and can ingest fructose directly from plant nectaries. However, experiments in the laboratory also show thatE. culicivoracan obtain fructose indirectly by feeding on prey that have fed on fructose, implying a need to consider this possibility when field-collected spiders test positive for fructose. In laboratory tests, 53.5% of 1,215 small juveniles, but only 3.4% of 622 adultE. culicivora, left with plants for 24 hours, were positive for fructose. These findings, along with the field data, suggest that fructose is especially important for early-instar juveniles ofE. culicivora.

The publication contains review of the genera of jumping spiders: Emertonius, Evarcha, Nigorella, Padilothorax, Stagetillus, and delimits five more new genera, provides graphic documentation for species considered recognizable and adds description of four new species. The taxonomic procedures are carried out according to methodology of "pragmatic classification", which stresses importance of graphic diagnostic characters presented in a comparative way (see also review at “Methodological postulates” subchapter). Some new procedures are introduced, testing their acceptability.The following new genera are delimited and described in this paper: Evarcha Simon, 1889 s. s. (a part of Evarcha s. l.), Evacin Prószyński, 2017 gen. n., Evalba Prószyński, 2017 gen. n., Evaneg Prószyński, 2017 gen. n., Evawes Prószyński, 2017 gen. n., Padillothorus gen. n. Genus Emertonius Peckham & Peckham, 1892, misinterpreted twice by the WSC Editors, is reinstated again, with full diagnostic documentation repeated.The following new species are described in this paper - Emertonius koomeni sp. n., Evacin besar sp. n., Evaneg aegiptiaca Prószyński, 2017 sp. n ."Emertonius" palawanensis sp. n.New synonyms documented.Evarcha acuta Wesolowska, 2006 = Evacin acuta (Wesolowska, 2006), comb. n., Evarcha bulbosa Zabka, 1985 = Evacin bulbosa (Zabka, 1985), comb. n., Evarcha cancellata Simon, 1902 = Evacin cancellata (Simon, 1902), comb. n., Evarcha flagellaris Haddad & Wesolowska, 2011= Evacin flagellaris (Haddad & Wesolowska, 2011), Evarcha flavocincta (C. L. Koch, 1846) = Evacin flavocincta (C. L. Koch, 1846) comb. n., Evarcha heteropogon Simon, 1903 = Evacin heteropogon Simon, 1903, comb. n., Evarcha infrastriata (Keyserling, 1881) = Evacin infrastriata (Keyserling, 1881), comb. n., Evarcha karas Wesolowska, 2011 = Evarcha karas (Wesolowska, 2011), comb. n., Evarcha kirghisica Rakov, 1997 = Evacin kirghisica (Rakov, 1997), comb. n., Evarcha kochi Simon, 1902 = Evacin kochi Simon, 1902 comb. n., Evarcha nigrifrons (Koch C.L., 1846) = Evacin nigrifrons (Koch C.L., 1846), comb. n., Evarcha optabilis Fox, 1937 = Evacin optabilis (Fox, 1937), comb. n., Evarcha pococki Zabka, 1985 = Evacin pococki (Zabka 1985), comb. n., Evarcha pulchella Thorell, 1895 = Evacin pulchella (Thorell, 1895), comb. n., Evarcha pseudopococki Peng X., Xie L. & Kim, 1993 = Evacin pseudopococki (Peng X., Xie L. & Kim, 1993), comb. n., Evarcha reiskindi Berry, Beatty, Proszynski, 1996 = Evacin reiskindi (Berry, Beatty, Proszynski, 1996), comb. n., Evarcha simoni[s] (Thorell, 1892)= Evacin simonis (Thorell, 1892), comb. n., Evarcha striolata Wesołowska & Haddad, 2009 = Evacin striolata (Wesołowska & Haddad, 2009), comb. n., Evarcha vitosa Próchniewicz, 1989 = Evacin vitosa (Próchniewicz, 1989), comb. n.Evarcha albaria (L. Koch, 1878) = Evalba albaria (L. Koch, 1878), comb. n., Evarcha coreana Seo, 1988 = Evalba coreana (Seo, 1988), comb. n., Evarcha fasciata Seo, 1992 = Evalba fasciata (Seo, 1988), comb. n., Evarcha paralbaria Song & Chai, 1992 = Evalba paralbaria (Song & Chai, 1992), comb. n., Evarcha selenaria Suguro & Yahata, 2012 = Evalba selenaria (Suguro & Yahata, 2012), comb. n., Evarcha wulingensis Peng, Xie & Kim, 1993 = Evalba wulingensis (Peng, Xie & Kim, 1993), comb. n.Evarcha armeniaca (Logunov, 1999) = Evaneg armeniaca (Logunov, 1999), comb. n., Evarcha darinurica Logunov, 2001 = Evaneg darinurica (Logunov, 2001) , comb. n., Evarcha negevensis (Proszynski, 2000) = Evaneg negevensis (Proszynski, 2000) comb. n., Evarcha nenilini Rakov, 1997= Evaneg nenilini (Rakov, 1997), comb. n., Evarcha nepos ( O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) = Evaneg nepos (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872), comb. n., Evarcha nigricans Dalmas, 1920 = Evaneg nigricans (Dalmas, 1920), comb. n.,Evarcha pileckii Proszynski, 2000 = Evaneg pileckii (Proszynski, 2000), comb. n., Evarcha praeclara Prószyński & Wesolowska, in Prószyński, 2003 = Evaneg praeclara (Prószyński & Wesolowska, in Prószyński, 2003), comb. n., Evarcha seyun Wesolowska W., van Harten, 2007 = Evaneg seyun (Wesolowska W., van Harten, 2007), comb. n., Neaetha aegyptiaca Denis, 1947 female only = Evaneg aegyptiaca (Prószyński, 2017) ), comb. n., Neaetha aegyptiaca Denis, 1947 male only = Hyllus aegyptiacus (Denis, 1947), comb. n.Evarcha arabica Wesolowska & van Harten, 2007 = Evawes arabica (Wesolowska & van Harten, 2007) comb. n., Evarcha awashi Wesolowska & Tomasiewicz, 2008 = Evawes awashi (Wesolowska & Tomasiewicz, 2008) comb. n., Evarcha bakorensis Wesolowska & Russel-Smith 2011 = Evawes bakorensis (Wesolowska, Russel-Smith 2011) comb.n., Evarcha bicuspidata Peng & Li, 2003 = Evawes bicuspidata (Peng & Li, 2003) comb. n., Evarcha bihastata Wesolowska & Russell-Smith, 2000 = Evawes bihastata (Wesolowska & Russell-Smith, 2000), comb.n., Evarcha carbonaria (Lessert, 1927) = Evawes carbonaria (Lessert, 1927), comb.n., Evarcha chubbi Lessert, 1925 = Evawes chubbi (Lessert, 1925), comb. n., Evarcha culicivora Wesolowska & Jackson 2003 = Evawes culicivora (Wesolowska & Jackson 2003) comb. n., Evarcha denticulata Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013 = Evawes denticulata (Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013), comb.n., Evarcha elegans Wesolowska & Russel-Smith, 2000 = Evawes elegans (Wesolowska & Russel-Smith, 2000), comb. n., Evarcha ignea Wesołowska & Cumming 2008= Evawes ignea (Wesołowska & Cumming 2008), comb. n., Evarcha jucunda (Lucas, 1846) = Evawes jucunda (Lucas, 1846) comb. n., Evarcha longula (Thorell, 1881) = Evawes longula (Thorell, 1881) comb. n., Evarcha maculata Rollard & Wesolowska, 2002 = Evawes maculata (Rollard & Wesolowska, 2002), comb. n., Evarcha madagascariensis Proszynski, 1992 = Evawes madagascariensis (Proszynski, 1992), comb. n., Evarcha mirabilis Wesołowska & Haddad 2009 = Evawes mirabilis (Wesołowska & Haddad 2009), comb.n., Evarcha patagiata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) = Evawes patagiata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872), comb.n., Evarcha picta Wesolowska & van Harten, 2007 = Evawes picta (Wesolowska & van Harten, 2007), comb. n., Evarcha pinguis Wesołowska & Tomasiewicz, 2008 = Evawes pinguis (Wesołowska, Tomasiewicz, 2008), comb. n., Evarcha prosimilis Wesolowska & Cumming, 2008= Evawes prosimilis (Wesolowska & Cumming, 2008), comb. n., Evarcha zimbabwensis Wesolowska & Cumming, 2008 = Evawes zimbabwensis (Wesolowska & Cumming, 2008), comb. n.Evarcha hirticeps (Song & Chai, 1992) = Nigorella hirticeps (Song & Chai, 1992), comb. n., Evarcha hunanensis Peng, Xie & Kim, 1993 - withdrawal from synonymy = Nigorella hunanensis (Peng, Xie & Kim, 1993), comb. n., Evarcha petrae Prószyński, 1992 = Nigorella petrae (Prószyński, 1992), comb. n., Evarcha sichuanensis Peng, Xie & Kim, 1993 = Nigorella sichuanensis (Peng, Xie & Kim, 1993), comb. n.Hyllus fischeri Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 = Evacin fischeri (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906), comb. n. (separated from synonymy of Evarcha flavocincta).Hasarius simonis Thorell, 1892 = Evacin simonis (Thorell, 1892), comb. n. (separated from synonymy of Evarcha flavocincta).Myrmarachne aureonigra Edmunds, Prószyński, 2003) = Myrmaplata aureonigra (Edmunds, Prószyński, 2003), comb. n.Myrmarachne exasperans (Peckham & Peckham, 1892) = Emertonius exasperans Peckham & Peckham, 1892 (return to original combination),"Myrmarachne" "exasperans": Wanless 1978: 235, f. 1A-F, not f. 2) (male from Palawan only) = "Emertonius" palawanensis sp. n.,Myrmarachne grossa Edmunds & Prószyński, 2003 = Toxeus grossus (Edmunds & Prószyński, 2003) comb. n.Neaetha aegyptiaca Denis, 1947 (in part - female) = Evaneg aegiptiaca Prószyński, 2017, sp. n., Neaetha aegyptiaca Denis, 1947 (in part - male) = Hyllus aegiptiacus (Denis, 1947) comb. n.Stagetillus elegans (Reimoser, 1927) = Padillothorus elegans Reimoser, 1927, comb. n., reinstated original combination, Stagetillus semiostrinus (Simon, 1901) = Padillothorax semiostrinus Simon, 1901, comb. n., reinstated original combination, Stagetillus taprobanicus (Simon, 1902) = Padillothorax taprobanicus Simon, 1902, comb. n., reinstated original combination.Viciria alba Peckham & Peckham, 1903 = Evacin alba (Peckham & Peckham, 1903), comb. n.Correction of the following synonyms (rejecting biologically misleading changes by the WSC) documented in this paper. Colyttus kerinci (Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2012) = Donoessus kerinci Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2012 (returned to the previous combination), Colyttus nigriceps (Simon, 1899) = Donoessus nigriceps (Simon, 1899) (returned to the previous combination), Colyttus striatus (Simon, 1902) = Donoessus striatus Simon, 1902 (returned to the previous combination),Coryphasia heros (Bryant, 1943) = Dinattus heros Bryant, 1943 (returned to the previous combination), Jollas armatus (Bryant, 1943) = "Oningis" armatus Bryant, 1943 (returned to the previous combination), Jollas crassus (Bryant, 1943) = "Oningis" crassus Bryant, 1943 (returned to the previous combination), Laufeia daiqini (Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2012) = Junxattus daiqini Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2012 (returned to the previous combination), Laufeia eucola (Thorell, 1890) = Orcevia eucola Thorell, 1890 (returned to the previous combination), Laufeia keyserlingi (Thorell, 1890) = Orcevia keyserlingi Thorell, 1890 (returned to the previous combination), Laufeia kuloni (Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2012) = Orcevia kuloni Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2012, (returned to the previous combination,), Laufeia minuta (Prószyński, 1992) = Lechia minuta (Prószyński, 1992) (returned to the previous combination), Laufeia proszynskii Song, Gu & Chen, 1988= Orcevia proszynskii (Song, Gu & Chen, 1988) (returned to the previous combination), Laufeia squamata = Lechia squamata (returned to the previous combination)Notice on pending revisions Evaneg praeclara (Prószyński & Wesolowska in Prószyński, 2003) (= "Evarcha praeclara") is a composite species, pending taxonomic revision, "Myrmarachne" kilifi Wanless, 1978 - placement and diagnostic characters pending revision, "Myrmarachne" laurentina Bacelar, 1953 - placement and diagnostic characters pending revision.Removal from Evarcha: Evarcha wenxianensis Tang & Yang, 1995 = Yaginumaella wenxianensis (Tang & Yang, 1995) (Fig, 15R).

On the basis of 1115 records of Evarcha culicivora feeding in the field, we can characterize this East African jumping spider (Salticidae) as being distinctively stenophagic. We can also, on the basis of laboratory prey-choice experiments, characterize E . culicivora as having a specialized prey-classification system and a hierarchy of innate preferences for various categories of mosquitoes and other arthropods. Prey from the field belonged to 10 arthropod orders, but 94.5% of the prey records were dipterans. Mosquitoes were the dominant prey (80.2% of the records), with the majority (82.9%) of the mosquitoes being females, and thereafter midges were the most common prey (9.2% of the records). Preference profiles that were determined from experiments showed strong convergence with natural diet in some, but not all, instances. In experiments, E . culicivora adults appeared to distinguish between six prey categories and juveniles between seven, with blood-carrying anopheline female mosquitoes being ranked highest in preference. For adults, this was followed by blood-carrying culicine female mosquitoes and then anopheline female mosquitoes not carrying blood, but these two preferences were reversed for juveniles. Moreover, for juveniles, but not for adults, anopheline male mosquitoes seem to be a distinct prey category ranked in preference after blood-carrying culicine females and, for both adults and juveniles, preference for midges is evident when the alternatives are not mosquitoes. These findings illustrate the importance of going beyond simply specifying preferred prey categories when characterizing predators as ‘specialized’ and a need to make clear conceptual distinctions between a predator's natural diet, the prey categories that are relevant to the predator, and the predator's prey-choicebehaviour.

Using Evarcha culicivora , an East African jumping spider (Salticidae), we investigate how nectar meals function in concert with predation specifically at the juvenile stage between emerging from the egg sac and the first encounter with prey. Using plants and using artificial nectar consisting of sugar alone or sugar plus amino acids, we show that the plant species ( Lantana camara , Ricinus communis , Parthenium hysterophorus ), the particular sugars in the artificial nectar (sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose), the concentration of sugar (20%, 5%, 1%) and the duration of pre-feeding fasts (3 days, 6 days) influence the spider's prey-capture proficiency on the next day after the nectar meal. However, there were no significant effects of amino acids. Our findings suggest that benefits from nectar feeding are derived primarily from access to particular sugars, with fructose and sucrose being the most beneficial, glucose being intermediate and maltose being no better than a water-only control.

Paracyrba wanlessi is a southeast Asian jumping spider (Salticidae) that lives in the hollow internodes of fallen bamboo and preys on the larvae, pupae and adults of mosquitoes. In contrast to Evarcha culicivora , an East African salticid that is also known for actively targeting mosquitoes as preferred prey, there was no evidence of P . wanlessi choosing mosquitoes on the basis of species, sex or diet. However, our findings show that P . wanlessi chooses mosquitoes significantly more often than a variety of other prey types, regardless of whether the prey are in or away from water, and regardless of whether the mosquitoes are adults or juveniles. Moreover, a preference for mosquito larvae, pupae and adults is expressed regardless of whether test spiders are maintained on a diet of terrestrial or aquatic prey and regardless of whether the diet includes or excludes mosquitoes. Congruence of an environmental factor (in water versus away from water) with prey type (aquatic versus terrestrial mosquitoes) appeared to be important and yet, even when the prey were in the incongruent environment, P . wanlessi continued to choose mosquitoes more often than other prey.

Evarcha culicivora is a salticid with an unusual preferred diet (vertebrate blood obtained indirectly by preying on female mosquitoes that have themselves had recent blood meals) and an unusual affinity for particular plant species (Lantana camara and Ricinus communis). This thesis is a study of how individuals of this species interact with each other, with a general objective being to clarify the role of visual attention and crossmodality priming in the mate-choice behaviour of this species. E. culicivora’s courtship and display behaviour was shown to be especially complex and highly variable. Experiments on vision-based mate-choice showed that mutual mate-choice behaviour is pronounced in E. culicivora and that both sexes prefer large mates over small mates. Olfactometer experiments showed that E. culicivora is attracted to the odours of bloodfed female mosquitoes, Lantana camara and Ricinus communis and opposite-sex conspecifics. A prior diet of blood-fed female mosquitoes enhances attractiveness to the opposite sex. Opposite-sex conspecifics paired with the odour of blood-fed female mosquitoes are also more attractive. Cross-modality priming effects were investigated in other experiments that showed individuals of E. culicivora responded more to visual cues of opposite-sex conspecifics when in the presence of certain odours (of opposite-sex conspecifics, blood-fed female mosquitoes and L. camara).

Evarcha culicivora, a species of jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae from the Lake Victoria region of East Africa, has unusual prey-choice behaviour. It preferred prey is blood-carrying mosquitoes. It also has unusually complex mate-choice behaviour, with mutual mate choice being pronounced. This thesis is a study of E. culicivora’s prey-choice behaviour and mate-choice behaviour, as well as a study of processes underlying selective attention in this unusual species. E. culicivora uses olfaction in unique and often surprising ways. This includes identifying potential mates by odour alone, as well as choosing the odour of potential mates that have recently fed on blood-carrying mosquitoes. The odour of potential mates also primes both sexes for escalating conflict with potential rivals, as well as priming selective attention to the masked odour of specifically potential mates. Besides all this, the odour of blood-carrying mosquitoes primes E. culicivora to selectively attend to the masked odour of specifically this prey. Moreover, the appearance of blood-carrying mosquitoes and of potential mates primes E. culicivora to selectively attend to specifically the appearance of cryptic blood-carrying mosquitoes and cryptic potential mates, respectively. Vision and olfaction can even work together, with olfactory and visual cues from blood-carrying mosquitoes priming E. culicivora to selectively attend to the appearance and odour, respectively, of blood-carrying mosquitoes. Furthermore, E. culicivora has a poorly-understood relationship with two plant species, Lantana camara and Ricinus communis, and E. culicivora can identify these two plant species by odour alone. These plants may be relevant to this salticid as a nectar source by which it supplements its insect diet, but these plants may also be as sites at which E. culicivora males and females find potential mates, with E. culicivora’s interactions on these plants being especially exaggerated and complex.