The Role of Prey Capture Thread in the Origin and Evolution of Spider Orb-webs

捕获猎物的线在蜘蛛球网的起源和进化中的作用

• 批准号: 9417803
• 负责人: Brent Opell
• 金额: $ 15.51万
• 依托单位: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1995
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1995-06-15 至 2000-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9417803&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Role; Prey; Capture; Thread; Origin

9417803 Spiders are unique in their use of orb-webs to capture prey. Orb-weaving spiders and their webs have attracted the attention of biologists who study behavior, ecology, and evolution as well as the interest of biochemists and molecular biologists who study the properties of the silk spiders manufacture to build those webs. The ability of an orb-web to capture prey depends in large part on the stickiness of its prey capture threads. Without these threads, many insects that strike a web would escape before a spider could run to and subdue them. Prey capture threads also help absorb the impact of prey that strike a web and, in this way, strengthen the web. The properties of these prey capture threads, however, have received very little study. This research will examine changes in the properties of prey capture threads and determine how they are associated with the origin, evolution, and operation of spider orb-webs. The most primitive orb-webs are horizontally oriented and contained dry, fuzzy capture threads called cribellar thread. More advanced and diverse groups of orb-weaving spiders produce vertically oriented orb-webs that contain viscous adhesive capture threads. This research will measure the stickiness, tensile strength, and extensibility of the prey capture threads from webs that are less highly organized than orb-webs, orb-webs containing cribellar thread, and orb-webs containing adhesive threads. The research will test the hypotheses that the precise and parsimonious architecture of orb-webs places a premium on the stickiness, tensile strength, and extensibility of capture threads; and that these characteristics become even more critical in vertical orb-webs whose orientation requires them to absorb greater forces because they intercept prey that fly faster. It will also show how stickiness of cribellar prey captur e threads is related to a spider's spinning anatomy and determine whether changes in spinning anatomy facilitated the origin of the orb-web. The information and insights gained from this comparison will answer major questions about the evolution of orb-webs, more fully characterize the functional properties of spider silk, and foster a more integrated view of spider web composition, structure, and function. These insights may ultimately be useful in the design of composite materials and adhesive or impact-absorbing structures.

9417803 蜘蛛在使用圆网捕捉猎物方面是独一无二的。 圆网蜘蛛和它们的网吸引了研究行为、生态学和进化的生物学家的注意，也吸引了研究圆网蜘蛛特性的生物化学家和分子生物学家的兴趣。 蛛丝蜘蛛用来结网 圆网捕捉猎物的能力在很大程度上取决于其猎物捕捉线的粘性。 如果没有这些丝线，许多昆虫触网，蜘蛛还没来得及跑过去制服它们，就已经逃之夭夭了。 猎物捕捉线也有助于吸收猎物撞击网的冲击力，并以这种方式加强网。 然而，这些猎物捕获线程的属性，很少得到研究。 这项研究将检查的性质的变化， 猎物捕获线程，并确定他们如何 与蜘蛛的起源、进化和活动有关 圆网 的 最原始 圆网 是水平定向的，并且包含干燥的、模糊的捕获线，称为筛状线。 更先进和更多样化的圆网蜘蛛群体会产生垂直方向的圆网，其中包含粘性的捕获线。 本研究将测量的粘性，抗拉强度，和可延伸性的猎物捕捉线从网络，是不太高度组织比圆网，圆网含有筛线，和圆网含有粘合剂线。 这项研究将测试以下假设：精确而简约的圆网结构对捕获线的粘性、拉伸强度和可延伸性有很大的影响;而这些特性变得更加重要。 在垂直的圆网中， 定向要求 他们吸收更大的力量，因为 它们会拦截飞得更快的猎物 它还将显示筛状猎物捕获线的粘性如何与蜘蛛的旋转解剖结构相关，并确定旋转解剖结构的变化是否促进了圆网的起源。 从这种比较中获得的信息和见解将回答有关圆网进化的主要问题，更全面地描述蜘蛛丝的功能特性，并促进对蜘蛛网组成，结构和功能的更综合的看法。 这些见解最终可能在复合材料和粘合剂或冲击吸收结构的设计中有用。