1975] 
A spey Schizocosa 
179 
demonstrated in jumping spiders by Drees (1952), la similar inhibi- 
tion of agonistic responses may also be the role of leg wave behavior. 
Leg waving probably is a mechanism to space spiders living in 
dense populations; this would minimize cannibalism and competition 
for food supplies. Observations on immatures and adults support 
this idea. The only occasions during which observed cannibalism 
occurred among immatures was during a posterior approach when 
leg waving did not occur. The probability of cannibalism is likely 
minimized during a face-to-face encounter when the approached 
spider exhibits leg waving, and the approaching spider subsequently 
retreats. 
Although immature S. crassipes exhibit the various locomotory and 
contact behaviors of reproductively mature adults (Aspey, 1974, in 
preparation “a”), adult-like foreleg movements and postures are not 
observed until sexual maturity. The complex, stereotyped agonistic 
display of adult male S. crassipes serves to determine dominance- 
subordinance relations (Aspey, in preparation “b”), as well as space 
the animals according to a specific inter-individual personal distance 
(Aspey, in preparation “c”). The prominent tibial brushes of iadult 
males, coupled with foreleg movements, probably serve as visual 
signals to indicate the presence of male conspecifics. However, with 
immatures, tibial brushes are lacking, and leg waving is probably the 
only visual signal available; it may serve a generalized spacing func- 
tion for immatures of both sexes until the various adult behaviors 
develop. Thus immature leg waving may be considered a mechanism 
to space spiderlings, with the added consequence that cannibalism is 
minimized and spiders are selected against that do not exhibit and/or 
respond appropriately to leg waving. 
Acknowledgments 
I thank Dr. Jerome S. Rovner, Department of Zoology and 
Microbiology, Ohio University, for his helpful guidance and en- 
couragement throughout this work, and for critically reviewing the 
manuscript. Drs. S.W.F. van der Ploeg and H. Dijkstra, Free 
University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, critically read the manu- 
script, and I extend my appreciation to them. 
Literature Cited 
Aspey, W. P. 
1974. Wolf spider sociobiology: An ethological and informational 
theory analysis of agonistic behavior in Schizocosa crassipes . 
Doctoral Dissertation, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701. 
