C E N T E R   F O R   T H E   I N T E G R A T I V E   S T U D Y   O F   A N I M A L   B E H A V I O R
S P E A K E R   S E R I E S



R. Stimson "Stim" Wilcox

Associate Professor
Biological Sciences Department
State University of New York - Binghamton


Deceit Amongst The Webbing: Aggressive Mimicry And Cognitive Abilities in Portia Jumping Spiders   video
Guest Lecture for Spring 2002 Graduate Seminar:  
Learning & Evolution


© 2002 CISAB ABSTRACT:
 Jumping spiders of the Genus Portia are aggressive mimics which prey primarily on other species of spiders, especially web-building spiders. The basic tactics Portia exhibits are invasion of a web and signaling deceitfully on it as if Portia were struggling insect prey, to attract the resident spider closer, wherepon Portia kills and eats the resident. In addition to such basic stalking motions on the web, Portia opportunistically uses background noise on the web to mask its stalking motions on the web; uses trial-and-error learning to choose an appropriate signal for a particular prey spider, and to determine a different ploy which may deceive the prey spider better; and makes detours which involve evaluation of a situation, planning ahead to execute a pathway which may take it initially away from and out of sight of the prey spider, and executing the detour, using a cognitive map, during a period of at least two hours. The flexible learning, planning ahead, and persistent maintenance of cognitive map abilities of Portiaplace it among the foremost of invertebrate groups in the cognitive arena.
 

RELATED READING
 © 2002 CISAB Wilcox, R.S., R.R. Jackson, and K. Gentile. 1996. Spiderweb smokescreens: Spider trickster uses background noise to mask stalking movements. Animal Behavior 51:313-326.

Jackson, R.R. and R.S. Wilcox. 1998. Spider-eating spiders. American Scientist 86:350-357.

Wilcox, R.S. and R.R. Jackson. 1998. Cognitive abilities of araneophagic jumping spiders. In: R. Balda, I. Pepperberg, and A.C. Kamil (eds.) Animal cognition in nature. (San Diego: Academic Press).



ONLINE RESOURCES:
 Dr. Wilcox's departmental page
Spiders by Dr. Stim Wilcox (for PBS Teachersource)
Scientific American Frontiers Ask the Scientists: Stim Wilcox
PubMed search for RS Wilcox publications



© 2002 CISAB © 2002 CISAB © 2002 CISAB © 2002 CISAB © 2002 CISAB

OTHER SPRING 2002 SPEAKERS :    Russ Fernald   .  Celia Heyes   .  Nicky Clayton  

SPEAKER SERIES
SPEAKER COMMENTS
CISAB VIDEO LIBRARY

|| research ||
  | Faculty
  | Adjunct Faculty
  | Postdoc/Scientist
  | Grad. Students
  | CISAB Alumni

 || academics ||
  | Graduate Program
  | Undergrad.Prog.
  | REU Program
  | Postdoc Info
 : Members Only

 || events ||
  | Speakers
  | Local Calendar
  | Conferences
  | CISAB Lectures

 || fun ! ||
  | DO Stuff !
  | GET Stuff !
  | LEARN Stuff !
  | Good Reads

 || search ||
  | Careers
  | Homework Help
  | Media Resource
  | Tech Problems?
  | Useful Links

 || c.i.s.a.b. ||
  | Contact
  | A.B. Bulletin
  | © Notice
  | Web Site Index
  C E N T E R   F O R   T H E   I N T E G R A T I V E   S T U D Y   O F   A N I M A L   B E H A V I O R  
I N D I A N A   U N I V E R S I T Y    U S A