Effect of architectural angularity on refugia selection by the brown spider, Loxosceles gaucho
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Data
2010-09-01
Autores
Stropa, A. A. [UNESP]
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Editor
Wiley-Blackwell
Resumo
Some brown spider species infest man-made environments and pose a threat to human health. Because habitat architecture affects spider populations, I evaluated the preferences of individuals of Loxosceles gaucho (Gertsch) (Araneae: Sicariidae) for refugia with different angular structures. Four differently angled refugia models (acute-, right-, obtuse-angled and cylindrical) were placed on the litter of a forest fragment and observed each month for 1 year. Females of this species were found to prefer refugia with acute angles. This finding brings new information to our understanding of brown spider infestations in man-made environments: refugia with acute angles are likely to offer more protection for females and their offspring.
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Loxosceles, anthropic environment, arachnidism, brown recluse spider, habitat selection, loxoscelism, refugia architecture, spider control, urban entomology
Como citar
Medical and Veterinary Entomology. Malden: Wiley-blackwell, v. 24, n. 3, p. 273-277, 2010.