A Comparison of the Respiratory Systems in Some Cave and Surface Species of Spiders (Araneae, Dysderidae)

We tested the hypothesis that the respiratory system of hypogean spiders is subject to regressive evolution by examining representatives of the family Dysderidae. This comparison included the epigean species Dysdera ninnii Canestrini 1868, and Harpactea lepida (C.L. Koch 1838), and the hypogean spec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of arachnology 1999-01, Vol.27 (1), p.142-148
Main Authors: Kuntner, Matjaz̆, Sket, Boris, Blejec, Andrej
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Appendages
Caves
Evolution
Lungs
Metabolism
Renewable energy
Respiratory system
Species
Spiders
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Summary:We tested the hypothesis that the respiratory system of hypogean spiders is subject to regressive evolution by examining representatives of the family Dysderidae. This comparison included the epigean species Dysdera ninnii Canestrini 1868, and Harpactea lepida (C.L. Koch 1838), and the hypogean species Stalita taenaria Schiödte 1847, and Parastalita stygia (Joseph 1882). Both tube tracheae and book lungs of these species were measured and compared using 10 indices. Both the tracheal system and book lungs of the hypogean species were less developed than those of the epigean ones. We suggest that the cause is reduction of the respiratory system as a part of general structural reductions in the troglobites. This is consistent with the lower respiratory rates that characterize many troglobites.
ISSN:0161-8202
1937-2396