Host selection by a kleptoparasitic spider

Argyrodes globosus (Keyserling, 1884) is a small kleptoparasite spider that steals prey from the web of web-building spiders. In coffee plantations in the south of Mexico it was observed to parasitize five species: Gasteracantha cancriformis (Linnaeus, 1785) and Verrucosa arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) (Araneidae), Leucauge mariana (Keyserling, 1881) and Leucauge venusta (Walckenaer, 1841) (morphologically indistinguishable species) and Leucauge argyra (White, 1841) (Tetragnathidae). G. cancriformis was more frequently parasitized than the other hosts. An analysis of web diameter for each host species indicated that for L. mariana/venusta, L. argyra and V. arenata the kleptoparasite was associated with webs of a certain size range (23-33cm diameter) although a far larger range of web sizes was available (17-50cm diameter). The average size of the web of G. cancriformis (~23cm) appeared to be close to the preferred size for the kleptoparasite and this, together with an apparent absence of host aggression, may explain the prevalence of A. globosus with this host. For the parasite, web size choice may involve a tradeoff among diverse factors including prey capture rate, ease of access to the web and aggressive behaviour by the host.