Towards simplicity and accuracy: Assessing traditional and new estimators of orb-web capture thread length

Autor(es)

Xavier, Gabriel Maximo ^[1] ; Moura, Rafael Rios ^{[2, 3]} ; Gonzaga, Marcelo de Oliveira ^[4]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Uberlandia, Inst Biol, Posgrad Ecol & Conservacao Recursos Nat, Uberlandia, MG - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Biol Anim, Posgrad Biol Anim, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Minas Gerais, Dept Ciencias Biol, Ituiutaba, MG - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Uberlandia, Inst Biol, Campus Umuarama, Bloco 2D, BR-38400902 Uberlandia, MG - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Behavioural Processes; v. 173, APR 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Before using estimators, it is essential to consider their efficiency in order to avoid bias in results. Due to the architectural and structural complexity of spider webs, some important variables involved in prey capture are usually estimated based on a few measurements obtained from photographs. One of these variables is the capture thread length (CTL), which can provide valuable information on foraging behaviours and the energetic investment in prey capture. However, many of the webs found in the field are damaged, and there is no automatic method to measure the CTL. Therefore, the determination of a simple and accurate estimator of this variable is important to several studies involving spider foraging strategies. In this study, we assessed the accuracy of traditional and new CTL estimators and their vulnerability to web shape and asymmetry. Our results validated the accuracy of the previous estimators. However, we also presented a simple new estimator that can be even more accurate, irrespective of whether the webs exhibit circular shapes or asymmetry in thread investment between superior and inferior web parts. Moreover, we presented an accurate CTL estimator for non-circular orb webs, for which the traditional ones are not applicable. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/14196-5 - Variações interpopulacionais no sistema de acasalamento e sucesso reprodutivo de Manogea porracea (Araneae, Araneidae), uma aranha com cuidado anfisexual
• Beneficiário: Rafael Rios Moura
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado