Discovery of a monophagous true predator, a specialist termite-eating spider (Araneae: Ammoxenidae)
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Scientific Reports |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep14013 |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | PREY; DNA; DIETARY; ZODARIIDAE; EVOLUTION; PCR; SALTICIDAE; SEQUENCES; CAPTURE; PRIMERS |
| Description | True predators are characterised by capturing a number of prey items during their lifetime and by being generalists. Some true predators are facultative specialists, but very few species are stenophagous specialists that catch only a few closely related prey types. A monophagous true predator that would exploit a single prey species has not been discovered yet. Representatives of the spider family Ammoxenidae have been reported to have evolved to only catch termites. |
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