Nature & Environment
Wolf Spiders 'Purr' to Their Mates with Singing Leaves
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Jun 02, 2015 11:14 AM EDT
Wolf spiders, which are known for their unusual courtship behaviors, may serenade potential mates in order to woo them. However, new research shows that this only works if females can feel these vibrations.
Crickets and katydids evolved structures for producing sound. Previous research suggested that wolf spiders don't have these structures. Instead, studies suggested that they use vibrating structures in their environment, such as dead leaves, in order to create sound.
"They're quiet-nothing on the order of crickets," said Alexander Sweger, a doctoral student of biology at the University of Cincinnati, in an interview with Live Science. "We think this airborne sound is primarily byproduct. As far as we can tell, they may not deliberately be producing the sound."
Yet in this case, the researchers found that the "purring" of the wolf spider may be created by an organ which resembles a musical instrument. Two, small leg-like appendages near its mouth called pedipalps. The lowest joint on these appendages has a rough surface on one side and a "scraper" on the other. When they're rubbed together, they create vibrations that travel down the limb and to a leaf. This, in turn, creates a sound that can be heard by potential mates.
In this latest study, the researchers found that the spiders only respond when they feel the vibrations rather than hear them. This shows that it's possible this behavior evolved in terms of vibration and that the sound it produces is a secondary effect.
Want to hear a "purring" wolf spider for yourself? You can check it out here.
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First Posted: Jun 02, 2015 11:14 AM EDT
Wolf spiders, which are known for their unusual courtship behaviors, may serenade potential mates in order to woo them. However, new research shows that this only works if females can feel these vibrations.
Crickets and katydids evolved structures for producing sound. Previous research suggested that wolf spiders don't have these structures. Instead, studies suggested that they use vibrating structures in their environment, such as dead leaves, in order to create sound.
"They're quiet-nothing on the order of crickets," said Alexander Sweger, a doctoral student of biology at the University of Cincinnati, in an interview with Live Science. "We think this airborne sound is primarily byproduct. As far as we can tell, they may not deliberately be producing the sound."
Yet in this case, the researchers found that the "purring" of the wolf spider may be created by an organ which resembles a musical instrument. Two, small leg-like appendages near its mouth called pedipalps. The lowest joint on these appendages has a rough surface on one side and a "scraper" on the other. When they're rubbed together, they create vibrations that travel down the limb and to a leaf. This, in turn, creates a sound that can be heard by potential mates.
In this latest study, the researchers found that the spiders only respond when they feel the vibrations rather than hear them. This shows that it's possible this behavior evolved in terms of vibration and that the sound it produces is a secondary effect.
Want to hear a "purring" wolf spider for yourself? You can check it out here.
Related Stories
Brightly Painted Jumping Spiders are Masters of Color Vision
Scientists Unravel the Mysteries of Spider Silk with New Model
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone