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First published online October 21, 2004
Journal of Experimental Biology 207, 4105-4110 (2004)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2004
doi: 10.1242/jeb.01261

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The effect of substrate on the efficacy of seismic courtship signal transmission in the jumping spider Habronattus dossenus (Araneae: Salticidae)

Damian O. Elias^1,*, Andrew C. Mason² and Ronald R. Hoy¹

¹ Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Seeley G. Mudd Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
² Integrative Behaviour and Neuroscience, Department of Life Sciences, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ONT M16 1A4, Canada

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: doe2{at}cornell.edu)

Accepted 24 August 2004

The jumping spider Habronattus dossenus Griswold 1987 (Salticidae) communicates using seismic signals during courtship and can be found on rocks, sand and leaf litter. We examined the filtering properties of, and tested the efficacy of male courtship signals on, these natural substrates. These substrates have drastically different filtering properties at the distances at which the males court. Rocks sharply attenuated all frequencies, with considerable variability among different rocks. Desert sand showed band-pass properties, attenuating frequencies contained in the animal's signal. Leaf litter passed all frequencies and was the most favourable signalling environment. In behavioural trials, the proportion of males mating successfully was significantly higher on leaf litter than on rocks or desert sand. Males did not modify their courtship behaviour on different substrates. Therefore, the effectiveness of male courtship seismic signals appears to be strongly constrained by the available substratum resources.

Key words: vibration, jumping spider courtship, seismic communication, multimodal, signal design, signal evolution

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