Originally published Friday, January 26, 2007 at 12:00 AM
E-mail article
Print view
Share
UV light sets the mood for spider mating
What puts that sexy twinkle in a spider's eye? A mate aglow. Take away the ultraviolet portion of light, and what seemed like the arachnid...
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — What puts that sexy twinkle in a spider's eye? A mate aglow.
Take away the ultraviolet portion of light, and what seemed like the arachnid version of Scarlett Johansson or Matthew McConaughey attracts no more lust than plain Jane or dumpy Dan.
People can't see ultraviolet light, but spiders can, and it turns out to be important to their mating, researchers report in this week's online edition of the journal Science.
It seems that both male and female jumping spiders — Cosmophasis umbratica — have markings on their faces and legs that glow in ultraviolet light, researchers led by Daiqin Li at the National University of Singapore reported.
Many animals possess UV vision and use it for foraging, navigation and sexual selection, Li noted.
Jumping spiders are known to have good eyesight, he said, adding that many of these spiders are colorful, with the males generally more colorful than females. That suggested a possible role of UV vision in jumping spiders, he said, so the researchers decided to explore the possibility.
"But we discovered UV-induced fluorescence communication in jumping spiders by chance," Li said.
"We were hoping to find out whether jumping spiders could really detect UV and respond to it, as well as whether jumping spiders use UV signals in their communications," Li said.
The team placed pairs of spiders in a variety of light conditions to determine their reactions to each other.
The results:
• Under full-spectrum light, including UV, males and females began courtship rituals such as bent legs and hunched or flexed abdomens.
• Without UV light, females turned away and males ignored them or reduced their actions.
![]()
• When males were placed in UV light and females were not, the females could see the reflection from the males and performed their normal courting behavior. But 16 of 20 males ignored the females, who were not reflecting UV light.
• And when females were in UV light and males were not, the males responded to the glowing females and began courting behavior, but 10 of the 12 females failed to respond.
"We conclude that sexual coloration is a crucial prerequisite for courtship," Li and his co-authors wrote.
The research was funded by the National University of Singapore Academic Research Fund.
E-mail article
Print view
Share
UPDATE - 01:12 AM
Round 2: Snow slams Mid-Atlantic, points north
UPDATE - 12:53 AM
Officials: Afghan avalanches kill 157 people
UPDATE - 12:46 AM
Political supporters clash in streets of Sri Lanka
UPDATE - 12:32 AM
Storm dumps rain, hail, snow in SoCal

Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
nwautos
Associated Press Study: Fatal crashes down in Washington Last year Washington's roads were the scene of the fewest fatal crashes since 1955. According...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Five reasons to stick with a job you hate -- for now
Post a comment
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Man found shot dead in pickup truck in Seattle
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Husky Football Blog | Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
- State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
- Idol Confessions | "American Idol" hopeful from Seattle didn't make it to Hollywood afterall
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- Nicole Brodeur | Chrisceda Clemmons' house wasn't the only casualty
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"
- Sex, drug rumors swirl about N.Y. Gov. Paterson
- Republicans may be no-shows at health-plan summit
278 - Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
249 - State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
248 - Lee undergoes foot surgery
231 - Obama: GOP and Dems together can spur job growth
210 - Fort Lewis soldier charged with abusing 4-year-old, holding her head in water
193 - Rivals names Martin one of Pac-10's best recruiters
143 - Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
127 - Bus-tunnel attack while guards watched prompts review of Metro security
118 - White House mocks Sarah Palin from podium
91
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- 747-8 soars smoothly on first outing
- Wine Adviser | Oregon's quality pinots join the bargain ranks
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Snap out of your photo funk: How to make sense of all those piles of images
- How clean are those pre-washed salad greens?
- Answers to biggest Olympic TV questions
- Jerry Brewer | Huskies softball pitcher Danielle Lawrie: A star on the field, not in her mind
- Rick Steves' Europe | What's new in Rome and Venice for 2010





