Trophic traits of Grammostola vachoni, a tarantula (Araneae : Theraphosidae) from Argentina
Leonela Schwerdt
A E , Gabriel Pompozzi B , Ana Elena de Villalobos C and Fernando Pérez-Miles D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Centro de Recursos Renovables de la Zona Semiárida – CONICET, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina.
B Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur – CONICET, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina.
C Centro de Recursos Renovables de la Zona Semiárida – CONICET, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina.
D Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
E Corresponding author. Email: lschwerdt@cerzos-conicet.gob.ar
Australian Journal of Zoology 66(3) 228-234 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO18034
Submitted: 14 May 2018 Accepted: 31 December 2018 Published: 1 February 2019
Abstract
This is the first study about trophic traits of Grammostola vachoni, a threatened theraphosid spider endemic to the mountain systems of central Argentina. Four prey types were used in experiments: crickets, cockroaches, beetle larvae and adult beetles. Grammostola vachoni was observed to eat at a rate of about once every 11 days, with the mean total number of prey consumed per spider during the experimental period being 2.7. Latency to the first attack was similar for crickets, cockroaches and beetle larvae, but was shorter for adult beetles. Feeding time was significantly longer for crickets and beetle larvae. Mass gain was significantly different among prey types. Feeding effectiveness and ingestion rate were significantly higher for crickets. A significant positive correlation for feeding effectiveness and ingestion rate with prey mass and the initial spider mass was also found.
Additional keywords: feeding effectiveness, feeding frequency, ingestion rate, spider.
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