Venom of prey-specialized spiders is more toxic to their preferred prey: A result of prey-specific toxins
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12900 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12900 |
| Keywords | Araneae;venom;specificity |
| Description | In specialized predators, a variety of adaptations have evolved to such a level of specificity that they allow very effective exploitation of focal prey. Venom is an essential adaptive trait of predatory venomous species, such as spiders, yet our knowledge of spider venom is incomplete. In agreement with the prey preference hypothesis, we expected that the venom of spider specialists should be more toxic to focal than to alternative prey, because it is composed of prey-specific toxins. |
| Related projects: |