A method for accurately estimating social spider numbers without colony damage
A method for accurately estimating social spider numbers without colony damage
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DOI：
10.1636/joa-s-17-075.1
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发表时间：
2018-08-01
影响因子：
1
通讯作者：
Somanathan, Llema
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Parthasarathy, Bharat;Somanathan, Llema
生态学家经常被要求准确地估计居住在不透明的避难所内的不同大小的群体中的个体数量。在这里，我们使用x射线作为一个非破坏性的解决方案，在社会蜘蛛居住在集体建造的不透明，丝绸，巢穴般的撤退。社会蜘蛛是理解近亲繁殖群体的社会组织、集体行为和群体遗传学的模型系统。这类研究往往需要准确确定殖民地内的个体数量、发育阶段和个体方向，而这在不损害它们撤退的完整性或影响蚁群行为的情况下是很困难的。我们证明了X射线的有效性，在准确估计殖民地的大小在社会蜘蛛Stegodyphus sarasinorum Karsch，1892年（Eresidae）。该方法也可用于评估个体大小、发育阶段和个体在殖民地内的定向。我们表明，这种技术不会改变蜘蛛捕食行为或短期生存相比，控制殖民地。
Ecologists are often required to accurately estimate the number of individuals residing in groups of variable sizes inside opaque shelters. Here, we have used x-rays as a non-destructive solution to this problem in social spiders which reside within collectively built opaque, silken, nest-like retreats. Social spiders are model systems for understanding social organization, collective behaviours and population genetics of inbred populations. Such studies often require an accurate determination of the number of individuals, developmental stages and orientation of individuals within the colony which is difficult without compromising the integrity of their retreat or affecting colony behaviour. We demonstrate the effectiveness of x-rays in accurately estimating colony size in the social spider Stegodyphus sarasinorum Karsch, 1892 (Eresidae). This method can also be applied to evaluate body sizes, developmental stages and individual orientation within the colony. We show that this technique does not alter spider prey-capture behaviour or short-term survival compared to control colonies.