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BIBTEX RIS

Aspects of the activity rhythm and population size of troglophilic mygalomorph spiders ( Trechona sp., Dipluridae) in a quartzite cave in Minas Gerais, Brazil

2014; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 49; Issue: 15-16 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/00222933.2014.946108

ISSN

1464-5262

Autores

José Paulo Leite Guadanucci, Pilar Louisy M. Braga, Fernanda de Souza Sá,

Tópico(s)

Turtle Biology and Conservation

Resumo

AbstractRecords of mygalomorphs inhabiting caves have increased in the past years. We present data on a population of Trechona sp. spiders, found in a quartizite cave in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The spiders and their retreats were marked, and this population was followed for 17 months. The population consisted of up to 100 individuals, comprising the worlds' largest known cave-dwelling population of mygalomophs. The estimated population size (Jolly-Seber model) varied from 50.36 to 853.43, the latter considered much overestimated. We did not find individuals of Trechona sp. in the surrounding epigean areas. The number of spiders was higher in the entrance zone than in the other two zones (twilight and dark zones). We found that individuals at the entrance zone showed similar activity to a nocturnal spider, whereas the other two groups showed conspicuous differences from this pattern, spending longer periods without rest, on the sheet-web as a sit-and-wait predator.Keywords: subterraneancircadian cyclesheet-webmygalomorphs AcknowledgementsWe are grateful to Amanda Elisa Monteiro, Leonardo Lessa, Rafael da Fonseca Ferreira, Willian Fabiano da Silva, Gabriela Monteiro de Castro, Thomás Souto Pires, Anderson Henrique Apolinário and Ludmila Pereira Canuto for their help during fieldwork. We also thank Rodrigo Willemart for suggestions during the study and for his critical review of an early draft of this manuscript, and Pedro Gnaspini for a comprehensive review of an early draft of the manuscript. We would also like to thank CNPq (PIBIC 001/2010) for financial support and UFVJM – Pró-reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-graduação for in-kind support.

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