title: Sound is involved in multimodal communication of Loxosceles intermedia Mello-Leitão, 1934 (Araneae; Sicariidae).
abstract: Signals of different modalities are involved during courtship of the brown spider Loxosceles intermedia. A spine on the pedipalp is rubbed against the grooves on the retrolateral region of the chelicerae producing stridulatory signals, which have a dominant frequency of the airborne component range around 770 Hz for females and around 170 Hz for males. These values are significantly lower for the substrate-borne component. The sound pressure level of stridulatory signals lies below 50 dB and the velocity values below 1mm/s. The copulation frequency does not depend on the presence of pedipalps in females; however, in males the removal of pedipalps decreases the courtship frequency. During courtship, females vibrate their abdomens after being touched by the courting male, producing tremulatory signals with the dominant frequency below 100 Hz, sound pressure level below 60 dB and velocity below 3mm/s. This vibration may function as a sign of the akinesia state since it precedes the introduction of the embolus. Cuticular compounds probably determine the recognition of the male by the female. Data from the present study corroborate the generalist nature of L. intermedia in which signals of different modalities are used during courtship.
authors: Departamento de Biologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Brazil.
authors: Marta Luciane
authors: ML
authors: Fischer
authors: Andrej
authors: A
authors: Cokl
authors: Eduardo Novaes
authors: EN
authors: Ramires
authors: Emanuel
authors: E
authors: Marques-da-Silva
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Delay
authors: José Domingos
authors: JD
authors: Fontana
authors: Lucélia
authors: L
authors: Donatti
authors: Vanice Fátima
authors: VF
authors: Schneider
authors: Francisco de Assis
authors: Fde A
authors: Marques
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003380:Courtship; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D013016:Sound; D013112:Spiders / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones