Web characteristics determine niche partitioning for orb-web spiders (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) in Malaysia

Abstract

Orb-web building spiders choose quality microhabitat to optimise foraging success. In this study, web-site selection of 12 tetragnathid species was investigated to determine its influence on the web characteristics. The two most significant variables were web size and the web height from ground (web-site). Statistical analyses showed that some tetragnathid species that coexist within the same habitat had very little clustering in terms of web characteristics, while other species showed many similarities. This study on the web characteristics provides an insight into the tetragnathid species’ ability to respond to different habitats and develop niches. Using the web characteristic variables in the principal component analyses (PCA), individuals of conspecifics clustered together instead of mixtures of individuals from different species. This finding suggests that tetragnathid spiders exhibit niche partitioning in some habitats and their web characteristics may determine the web placement in a particular habitat type.