Molting interferes with web decorating behavior in Argiope keyserlingi (Araneae, Araneidae)

Abstract

Various orb weaving spiders decorate their webs with extra silk structures, in the araneid genus Argiope, these web decorations consist of flimsy aciniform silk threads arranged in zig zag shaped bands. The adaptive value of these structures is still unclear and controversy over a suite of possible functional explanations persists: the high variation of web decoration adds further uncertainty. Web decorations can differ in shape, size, and frequency across species and even within species. Physiological processes may influence individual variation in web decorating behavior. Molting events are major physiological transitions combined with fundamental alterations of the metabolic state of the ..