Herbivory in a spider through exploitation of an ant-plant mutualism
Abstract
Summary. Spiders are thought to be strict predators [1]. We describe a novel exception: Bagheera kiplingi, a Neotropical jumping spider (Salticidae) that exploits a well-studied ant-plant mutualism, is predominantly herbivorous. From behavioral field observations and stable-isotope analyses, we show that the main diet of this host-specific spider comprises specialized leaf tips (Beltian food bodies; Figure 1A) from Vachellia spp. ant-acacias (formerly Acacia spp.), structures traded for protection in the plant's coevolved mutualism with Pseudomyrmex spp. ants that inhabit its hollow thorns [2]. This is the first report of a spider that feeds primarily and deliberately on plants.
- Publication:
-
Current Biology
- Pub Date:
- October 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.cub.2009.08.049
- Bibcode:
- 2009CBio...19.R892M