Behavioural and biomaterial coevolution in spider orb webs

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
Andrew SensenigTodd A Blackledge

Abstract

Mechanical performance of biological structures, such as tendons, byssal threads, muscles, and spider webs, is determined by a complex interplay between material quality (intrinsic material properties, larger scale morphology) and proximate behaviour. Spider orb webs are a system in which fibrous biomaterials--silks--are arranged in a complex design resulting from stereotypical behavioural patterns, to produce effective energy absorbing traps for flying prey. Orb webs show an impressive range of designs, some effective at capturing tiny insects such as midges, others that can occasionally stop even small birds. Here, we test whether material quality and behaviour (web design) co-evolve to fine-tune web function. We quantify the intrinsic material properties of the sticky capture silk and radial support threads, as well as their architectural arrangement in webs, across diverse species of orb-weaving spiders to estimate the maximum potential performance of orb webs as energy absorbing traps. We find a dominant pattern of material and behavioural coevolution where evolutionary shifts to larger body sizes, a common result of fecundity selection in spiders, is repeatedly accompanied by improved web performance because of changes in...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 3, 2010·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Aaron M T HarmerMarie E Herberstein
Mar 21, 2012·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Andrew T SensenigTodd A Blackledge
May 26, 2012·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Sean J BlamiresI-Min Tso
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Jun 19, 2021·Acta Biomaterialia·Brent D OpellMary L Hendricks

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