THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE TEMPORAL STRUCTURE OF THE VIBRATORY COURTSHIP SIGNALS OF A SPIDER (CUPIENNIUS-SALEI KEYS)

We studied the effect of ambient temperature (13 degrees C-34 degrees C) on the vibratory courtship communication of the wandering spider Cu piennius salei. 1. Male vibratory signals. The durations of most signa l parameters decreased linearly with increasing temperature. The numbe r of syllables in one series, and that of pulses in one syllable did n ot change with temperature, however. The ratios of the durations of a series and inter series, and of a syllable and a sequence (duty cycle) remained largely unchanged by temperature as well. 2. Female vibrator y response. The duration of the female response to the male vibration decreased with increasing temperature whereas the female response rate remained roughly constant between 13 degrees C and 25 degrees C. Fema les exposed to different temperatures favored male signals recorded in the same temperature range. To compensate for temperature dependent c hanges of male vibrations the female may therefore rely on the adjustm ent of her receiving system and/or temperature invariant signal parame ters. Among these the duty cycle is considered particularly important. 3. Temporal relationship. The onset of the female response often occu rred at the supposed onset of a male syllable, had the male continued to signal after completing the series, This synchronization may be adv antageous in a noisy environment.