Prey Preferences of Evarcha flavocincta and Plexippus petersi (Araneae: Salticidae) from Malaysia

Two jumping spiders, Plexippus petersi and Evarcha flavocincta (Araneae: Salticidae) were chosen for a test of prey preference from several species of spiders commonly found in University Putra Malaysia (UPM) Serdang, Malaysia campus. Test spiders were maintained in captivity on diet of early stage larvae of Tenebrio molitor (mealworm beetle) and midges, Chironomus sp. For testing, adult mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) were used. Two types of tests using living prey were employed, i.e. simultaneous-presentation tests (two types of prey provided at the same time) and alternate-day tests (different types of prey provided on successive days). All level of significance was determined at = 0.05 using a statistical program with Chi-square t-Test Goodness of Fit and Mc Nemar test. The results shows that, well-fed (last meal 7 days before testing) and starved (last meal 14 days before testing) test spiders of each species took Ae. albopictus mosquito more often than other insects in both alternate-day and simultaneous- presentation tests using living prey (P<0.05). It was also revealed that the preference of P. petersi for Ae. Albopictus mosquito over other insects offered is weaker than that of E. flavocincta. Larger salticids showed quick response; while attack was quite delayed by the smaller ones and with some difficulties. There was similar preference by both test spiders when well-fed and starved.