colony size and density - papers needed

[stuart longhorn]

Hi all.

I have a student interested in doing a thesis project on how tarantula colonies form, and the density of tarantulas in an area - can any of you list any useful prior studies, publications or theses to look at?

Preferably on tarantulas, but i know few exist - perhaps you know studies from other animals?

thanks

[Craig Mackay]

Hi Stuart,

These may (or may not) be of interest to your student. All bar two are available online but the two papers that are not directly linked I have here (Reichling 1999 and Stradling 1994). Send me your email in a PM if you would like them.

• Dor, A., S. Machkour-M’rabet, L. Legal, T. Williams & Y. Henaut (2008 Chemically mediated burrow recognition in the Mexican tarantula Brachypelma vagans female. Naturwissenschaften 95: 1189-1193.

• Ferretti, N.E & Perez-Miles, F. Intraspecific non-sexual interactions of Grammostola schulzei (Araneae: Theraphosidae) under laboratory conditions. Rev. Biol. Trop. (Int. J. Trop. Biol. ISSN-0034-7744) Vol. 59 (3): 1173-1182, September 2011

• Ferretti, N.E., F. Pérez-Miles, and A. González (2010) Mygalomorph spiders of the Natural and Historical Reserve of Martín García Island, Río de la Plata River, Argentina. Zoological Studies 49(4): 481-491.

• Hamilton, D.E., , B.S., M.S. 2008. Combining direct methods (PIT tags and radio-telemetry) with an indirect method (mtDNA) to measure movement and dispersal at different scales in North American tarantulas (Aphonopelma spp.). Texas Tech University

• Janowski-Bell, M.E. & N.V. Horner. 1999. Movement of the male brown tarantula, Aphonopelma hentzi (Araneae, Theraphosidae), using radio telemetry. Journal of Arachnology 27(2): 503 - 512.

• Kotzman, M. 1990. Annual activity patterns of the Australian tarantula Selenocosmia stirlingi (Araneae, Theraphosidae) in an arid area. Journal of Arachnology 18(2): 123-130.

• Marshall, S. D. & R. C. West (2008: An ontogenetic shift in habitat use by the Neotropical tarantula Ephebopus murinus (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae). Bull. Br. Arachnol. Soc. 14(6): 280-284.

• Reichling, Steven B. 1999. Nearest Neighbor Relationships among Theraphosid Spiders in Belize. The Southwestern Naturalist. Vol. 44, No. 4 (Dec., 1999), pp. 518-521

• Reichling, S.B. 2000. Group dispersal in juvenile Brachypelma vagans (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Journal of Arachnology 28(2): 248-250.

• Shillington, Cara. 2006. Activity of Juvenile Tarantulas In And Around The Maternal Burrow. The Journal of Arachnology 34:261–265

• Stradling, David J. 1994. Distribution and Behavioral Ecology of an Arboreal `Tarantula' Spider in Trinidad. Biotropica. Vol. 26, No. 1 (Mar., 1994), pp. 84-97

If you haven't already it's probably worth having a look through Craig's thread here to see if anything else is of interest.

[stuart longhorn]

Really good selection Craig. I've passed the details on. Thankyou

I'd suggests a few of those already, but overlooked others. Esp the Reichling paper, i think thats as good as it gets for a specific study of colony structure.

Huge thanks for taking the time to make the inks too, i think they'll be of interest to others too.

The ones without a link i have already (though thanks for the offer), i can also send on to anyone else who wants.

Other suggestions still welcome from other forum members, especially for other animals

[Craig Mackay]

Your welcome Stuart, although I mostly copied and pasted the links from Craig's list on Arachnophiles.
Hope they're off use to your student. If I come across anything else of interest I'll add it to this thread.