A jig for a jigjig

Mwalimu-G

Elder Lister
Male spiders drum out mesmerizing syncopated beats to woo mates
By Stephanie Pappas published 1 day ago
Female spiders like a male who can move with panache

Superior dance moves hint at a male's vigor, athleticism and grace.

Superior dance moves hint at a male's vigor, athleticism and grace. (Image credit: Jay Stafstrom/Biology Letters/Scott Schrage/University Communication and Marketing)



Male wolf spiders (Schizocosa stridulans) that improvise intricate dance moves are big winners in the mating game, wooing females with showstopping tap routines. Now, new research finds that the more complex the dance, the more likely the spiders are to find love.


The study researchers found that improvised steps benefited the spiders, which live in humid, mostly forested areas worldwide. The ability to bust a complicated move wasn't associated with size or strength in males, but it may hint to females that the male possesses a certain athleticism and grace.

"Females aren't necessarily looking for the biggest male or the loudest male or the strongest male," study co-author Eileen Hebets, a biologist at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), said in a statement. "But maybe they're looking for a male that is really athletic and can coordinate all of these different signals into one display."
 
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