Spiders are well known for using chemical, vibratory, tactile, and visual signals within mating
contexts. All spiders produce silk, and even in non-web building spiders, silk is intimately …

Sexual reproduction is pervasive in animals and has led to the evolution of sexual
dimorphism. In most animals, males and females show marked differences in primary and …

In describing the behavior and ecology of animals, the term “mating system” broadly
describes the population-or species-specific pattern of mating between individuals. While …

The subject of communication in spiders is of growing interest to animal behaviorists and
evolutionary biologists for many reasons. Communication is critical for spiders, as they are …

Spiders are highly efficient predators in possession of exquisite sensory capacities for
ambushing prey, combined with machinery for launching rapid and determined attacks. As a …

Condition-dependent secondary sexual traits and signals are often crucial for mate choice
decisions. Nuptial gifts, provided by the male to the female during mating, may represent an …

Highlights•Black widow males produce three different vibration signals during
courtship.•These signals can carry important information about male size.•Males display …

More than three decades ago, models by Lande (1981) and others (Kirkpatrick, 1982,
O'Donald, 1967, Zahavi, 1975, Zahavi, 1977) inspired a resurgence of interest in sexual …

Male courtship serves multiple functions in addition to inducing females to accept them as a
mate. In predatory species, male courtship can function to reduce the risk of sexual …

Several not mutually exclusive functions have been ascribed to nuptial gifts across different
taxa. Although the idea that a nuptial prey gift may protect the male from pre-copulatory …