Population dynamics and phenology of two congeneric and sympatric lynx spiders Peucetia rubrolineata Keyserling, 1877 and Peucetia flava Keyserling, 1877 (Oxyopidae)

Abstract

Numerous phenological studies on spiders belonging to the families Oxyopidae, Thomisidae, Lycosidae, Selenopidae (e.g. Selenops cocheleti) and Salticidae (e.g. Psecas chapoda and Psecas viridipurpureus) have been conducted in the neotropical region. However, studies that simultaneously compare population dynamics and age structure in populations of sympatric species are limited, especially in Oxyopidae. The population dynamics and phenology of two congeneric lynx spider (Peucetia rubrolineata and Peucetia flava) were examined in southeastern Brazil. Several characteristics of the age structure were compared between the two spider species. The variation in the total abundance of individuals and age structure and their relationship with climatic variables were similar between the two spiders. Adults of these spiders were present mainly in spring, indicating an annual reproductive cycle and a ‘stenochronous spring’ phenological pattern. The recruitment of spiders occurred in summer for P. rubrolineata and P. flava, followed by successive phenological peaks at all stages of development. Rainfall and temperature had a positive correlation to population flux in the two spider species studied. Despite the significant climatic effects observed in the Serra do Japi, the phenological pattern of the population in this study was not always repeated in other species of spiders (e.g. Selenops cocheleti).

KEYWORDS:

• Age structures
• Atlantic forest
• seasonal patterns
• Serra do Japi

Acknowledgements

We thank the Prefeitura Municipal de Jundiaí, SP, Brazil for granting permission to work at the Biological Reserve of the Serra do Japi. The authors also thank Instituto de Estudos dos Himenóptera Parasitóides da Região Sudeste Brasileira (INCT HYMPAR – SUDESTE-CNPq, FAPESP, CAPES), Yuri Fanchini Messas, Hebert Silva e Souza and anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.