Not So Fast: Strike Kinematics of the Araneoid Trap-Jaw Spider Pararchaea alba (Malkaridae: Pararchaeinae).

ABSTRACT: To capture prey otherwise unattainable by muscle function alone, some animal lineages have evolved movements that are driven by stored elastic energy, producing movements of remarkable speed and force. One such example that has evolved multiple times is a trap-jaw mechanism, in which the mouthparts of an animal are loaded with energy as they open to a wide gape and then, when triggered to close, produce a terrific force. Within the spiders (Araneae), this type of attack has thus far solely been documented in the palpimanoid family Mecysmaucheniidae but a similar morphology has also been observed in the distantly related araneoid subfamily Pararchaeinae, leading to speculation of a trap-jaw attack in that lineage as well. Here, using high-speed videography, we test whether cheliceral strike

SUBMITTER: Kallal RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8514421 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature