1996/01/05 by Maydianne C. B. Andrade · 3 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · Psychology · #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Artificial intelligence #Biology #Computer science #Geography #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Psychology #Sacrifice #Selection (genetic algorithm) #Sexual selection #Spider #Zoology
paper · doi:10.1126/science.271.5245.70
openalex publication_date 1996/01/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
During copulation, male redback spiders ( Latrodectus hasselti : Theridiidae) position themselves above the female's jaws. This apparent male complicity in sexual cannibalism is favored by sexual selection because cannibalized spiders receive two paternity advantages. First, cannibalized males copulated longer and fertilized more eggs than those that survived copulation. Second, females were more likely to reject subsequent suitors after consuming their first mate. These results represent empirical evidence for male copulatory suicide as an adaptive behavior.