PHOTOTACTIC BEHAVIOR OF NOCTURNAL AND DIURNAL SPIDERS - NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE PHOTOTAXES

Phototactic behaviors of the garden spider Araneus ventricosus and the jumping spiders Menemerus confusus and Hasarius adansoni were examine d as they walked on a Y-maze globe. On both dark- and light-background s, Araneus, a nocturnal web spider, tended to turn at Y-arms away from a test light given to the eyes (negative phototaxis), but Menemerus a nd Hasarius, diurnal hunting spiders, tended to turn toward the light (positive phototaxis). Araneus tended to turn transiently toward the l ight after the cessation of background illumination.