Transmission of a female sex pheromone thwarted by males in the spider Linyphia litigiosa (Linyphiidae).
When a male Sierra dome spider (Linyphia litigiosa) encounters a virgin female that has been sexually mature for 7 to 10 days, he rapidly packs the silk of her web into a tight mass. This behavior hinders evaporation of a male-attractant chemical that such highly receptive females apply to their webs. The male thereby reduces the likelihood that his mating partner will attract rival males.
D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000502:physiology*; D013112:Spiders / Q000502:physiology*
D010675:Pheromones; D012724:Sex Attractants