Prey-capture techniques and prey preferences of Aelurillus aeruginosus, A-cognatus, and A-kochi, ant-eating jumping spiders (Araneae : Salticidae) from Israel

Aelurillus aeruginosus, A. cognatus, and A. kochi feed on ants in nature. P rey-capture techniques and prey preferences of each of these three species from Israel were studied in the laboratory using a wide range of ants and o ther insects. Each usually attacked ants head on, but there was no regular orientation of attacks on other insects. When attacking ants, but not other prey, each species tended to stab several times before holding on. In thre e different types of tests for prey preference, "well-fed" (fed 5 days prio r to testing) and "starved" (fed 15 days prior to testing) individuals of e ach species took dolichoderine, formicine, and myrmicine ants in preference to a variety of other insects (Diptera, Hemiptera, Isoptera, and Pscoptera ). When extra-starved (21-day fast), however, each species took ants and ot her insects indiscriminately. Testing with laboratory-reared salticids show ed that preference and prey-capture behavior did not depend on prior experi ence with ants. When tested with dead, motionless lures, the same preferenc es were found, indicating that the spiders can distinguish between differen t types of prey without reference to their different movement patterns and chemical cues. Results from this study are discussed in relation to recent findings on other specialized salticids.