PARENT SESSION
Poster Session # 22: Late-Breaking Newsworthy Posters

Friday, August 8 Presentation from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM. SITCC Exhibit Hall B.

Male-male competition in the wolf spider, Pardosa milvina (Araneae; Lycosidae).

Sutton, Patrick^*,, Rypstra, Ann, Persons, Matthew,

ABSTRACT- Male-male competition is widely observed throughout behavioral ecology when conflicts arise over territorial control, such as competition for a potential mate. Pardosa milvina is a small, active wolf spider found in disturbed habitats like agroecosystems throughout the Midwest. Laboratory experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that males will have more aggressive interaction with one another in the presence of different female cues. We monitored interactions between two males under three conditions: (1) control with no female cues; (2) cues from a virgin female; and (3) cues from a mated female. In each of the 12 replicates, two different males were introduced to each condition under individual glass vials and allowed a 5 minute acclimation period before they were released. We measured the following interactions between the males: (1) number of touches; (2) number of attacks; and (3) the distance maintained between them. We found that males attacked each other more when on cues from a virgin female compared with the other conditions. We also found that the closest distance maintained was between the males housed on virgin cues. The results suggest that male-male competition may increase when in the presence of a virgin female.

Key words: spider, behavioral , male, interaction