Functional Associations Between Cribellum Features, Cribellar Silk Properties, and Web Architecture in the Spider Family Uloboridae

网蛛科的蜘蛛包括最原始的圆织蛛群，以及编织缩小的三角形空中网和不规则网的物种。构成这些捕获猎物的蛛网的丝是由蜘蛛腹部的一个椭圆形的管状板（cribellum）产生的线的合成物。卷毛形态的变化会导致丝的强度和粘性的变化。布伦特·欧佩尔博士提议研究八种栉蛛的各种蹼形态、蛛丝特征、网结构和捕食行为之间的关系。这些物种代表了来自不同进化分支的退化和正常织网者。提出的研究将确定在何种程度上形式约束功能和行为在一个复杂的机械系统。此外，该研究可能会揭示形式-功能关联历史发展的潜在普遍性（例如，单个网带的变化是否只能产生特定的网和行为类型，或者单个网类型是否能够适应行为变化而不适应丝？）拟议的研究解决了所有进化生物学的基本问题。这项研究将为当前适应性需求和历史约束在新特征进化中的相对重要性提供新的见解。这项研究的结果将引起广泛的功能、系统和进化生物学家的兴趣。

Spiders of the Family Uloboridae include the most primitive orb-weaving groups, as well as species that spin reduced triangular aerial webs and irregular webs. The silk that constitute these prey-capture webs are composites of threads produced by an oval plate of spigots (the cribellum) on the spider's abdomen. Variations in the morphology of the cribellum produces changes in the strength and stickiness of the silk. Dr. Brent Opell proposes to study the associations between various kinds of cribellar morphology, silk characteristics, web architecture, and predatory behavior in eight species of uloborid spiders. These species represent both reduced- and normal-web spinners from different evolutionary branches of the family. The proposed research will establish the degree to which form constrains function and behavior in a complex mechanical system. Further, the study may uncover underlying generalities concerning the historical development of the form-function associations (for instance, can a single cribellar change give rise to only certain web and behavior types, or can a single web type accommodate changes in behavior but not silk?). The proposed research addresses questions that are fundamental to all of evolutionary biology. This study will give new insight into the relative importance of current adaptive needs and historical constraint in the evolution of new features. The results of this study will be of interest to a wide range of functional, systematic, and evolutionary biologists.