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Leucauge
''Leucauge'' is a spider genus of long-jawed orb weavers, with over 160 species and fully pantropical distribution. The genus was first documented in Scottish zoologist Adam White's 1841 ''Description of new or little known Arachnida''. Charles Darwin had suggested the name of the genus and collected the first specimen in May 1832, later named ''L. argyrobapta''. A vague description and the loss of the only specimen left the genus ill-defined. ''Leucauge'' developed into something of a wastebasket taxon containing 300 loosely related species, until research in the year 2010 resolved ''L. argyrobapta'' as a synonym of the quite common '' L. venusta'' and allowed revision and reclassing of the genus. However, a 2018 paper restored '' Leucauge argyrobapta'' as a separate species. The body and leg shapes and the silver, black and yellow markings of ''Leucauge'' females make identification of the genus relatively easy. They have two rows of long, slender curved hairs on the fem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leucauge Mariana
''Leucauge mariana'' is a long-jawed orb weaver spider, native to Central America and South America. Its web building and sexual behavior have been studied extensively. Males perform several kinds of courtship behavior to induce females to copulate and to use their sperm. A particularly unusual feature of sex in ''L. mariana'' is the formation of mating plugs during copulation. These masses sometimes block the access of subsequent males to the female’s genitalia and can prevent copulations. Unlike other species, ''L. mariana'' forms the mating plug from materials contributed by both the female and the male; the male alone cannot make a functional plug. Most mating plugs in other animals are typically viewed as a male tactic used to increase his chances of paternity, without participation of the female. Female participation in creating a mating plugs, and her presumed benefit from them, have led to multiple studies of sexual selection on the sexual behavior of ''L. mariana''. A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
