Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)

Spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) represent one of the largest groups of organisms on Earth with more than 45,000 recorded species found in nearly all terrestrial communities. In these communities, spiders are obligate predators and generalist consumers regulating the density of pests. Spiders have a stu...

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Main Authors: Akamu Jude Ewunkem, Kyle Agee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2022-01-01
Series:International Journal of Zoology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6763306
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author Akamu Jude Ewunkem
Kyle Agee
author_facet Akamu Jude Ewunkem
Kyle Agee
author_sort Akamu Jude Ewunkem
collection DOAJ
description Spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) represent one of the largest groups of organisms on Earth with more than 45,000 recorded species found in nearly all terrestrial communities. In these communities, spiders are obligate predators and generalist consumers regulating the density of pests. Spiders have a stupefying array of prey hunting strategies ranging from ambushing to the use of complex silk nares. Spider silk is incredibly tough and can be used for many applications such as wrapping and immobilization, catching prey, as dragline to connect spiders to the web, as ballooning to aid dispersal of juveniles, as shelters in burrows, for mating, and as egg sacs (or cocoons). Typically, spider egg sacs are multilayered, complex structures that physically protect the eggs and hatchlings against parasitoids, predators as well as changing temperatures. Much research has been undertaken to elucidate the ecological role of spiders and the mechanical characteristics of silks. However, few studies have examined the parental care of spiders and the role of egg sacs. This review goes into great detail about spider parental care and the functions of egg sacs.
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spelling doaj.art-fa26ebbc937c4ac4bdb4fef14c275a7d2022-12-22T04:29:45ZengHindawi LimitedInternational Journal of Zoology1687-84852022-01-01202210.1155/2022/6763306Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)Akamu Jude Ewunkem0Kyle Agee1Department of Biological ScienceDepartment of Biological ScienceSpiders (Arachnida, Araneae) represent one of the largest groups of organisms on Earth with more than 45,000 recorded species found in nearly all terrestrial communities. In these communities, spiders are obligate predators and generalist consumers regulating the density of pests. Spiders have a stupefying array of prey hunting strategies ranging from ambushing to the use of complex silk nares. Spider silk is incredibly tough and can be used for many applications such as wrapping and immobilization, catching prey, as dragline to connect spiders to the web, as ballooning to aid dispersal of juveniles, as shelters in burrows, for mating, and as egg sacs (or cocoons). Typically, spider egg sacs are multilayered, complex structures that physically protect the eggs and hatchlings against parasitoids, predators as well as changing temperatures. Much research has been undertaken to elucidate the ecological role of spiders and the mechanical characteristics of silks. However, few studies have examined the parental care of spiders and the role of egg sacs. This review goes into great detail about spider parental care and the functions of egg sacs.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6763306
spellingShingle Akamu Jude Ewunkem
Kyle Agee
Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)
International Journal of Zoology
title Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)
title_full Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)
title_fullStr Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)
title_full_unstemmed Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)
title_short Spider Parental Care and Awe-Inspiring Egg Sac (Cocoon)
title_sort spider parental care and awe inspiring egg sac cocoon
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6763306
work_keys_str_mv AT akamujudeewunkem spiderparentalcareandaweinspiringeggsaccocoon
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