RESPONSE STRATEGIES OF ADULT MALE 
SCHIZOCOSA CRASSIPES (ARANEAE: LYCOSIDAE) 
DURING AGONISTIC INTERACTIONS 1 
By Wayne P. Aspey 2 
Department of Zoology and Microbiology 
Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 
Introduction 
This paper represents one of a series (Aspey, 1975a, b, 1976a, b,c) 
on the ethology and behavioral ecology of the brush-legged wolf 
spider Schizocosa crassipes (Walckenaer). Among lycosids, the 
adult males of this species are unusual in that they exhibit an elabo- 
rate and extensive behavioral repertoire during agonistic inter- 
actions (Aspey, 1976b). As immatures, the spiderlings exhibit a 
characteristic leg wave display that spaces conspecifics and pre- 
sumably minimizes cannibalism (Aspey, 1975a). As adults, the 
males develop black foreleg brushes and exhibit the complex behav- 
iors seen exclusively during adult male-male agonistic interactions. 
This display is primarily a visually-mediated communication system 
that preserves the personal space of adult males (Aspey, 1976c). 
These spiders are found in dense abundance among leaf litter at 
the forest-meadow interface, and share characteristics typical of 
“edge” species (Aspey, 1976a). Furthermore, males are more ac- 
tive than females, and in the natural habitat during a given one- 
minute observation period, an adult male is likely to encounter 
three males to one female. By exhibiting one or more of the foreleg 
movements and/or postures comprising the behavioral repertoire, 
certain males drive other males away from the female while remain- 
•This study was partially supported by a Hiram Roy Wilson Research Fellowship 
in Zoology, and represents portions of the author’s Doctoral Dissertation submitted 
to Ohio University. Publication was aided by the Marine Biomedical Institute at 
The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550. 
2 Present address: Division of Comparative Neurobiology & Behavior, The Marine 
Biomedical Institute, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 200 University Boule- 
vard, Galveston, Texas 77550. 
Manuscript received by the editor March 15, 1976. 
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