Not So Fast: Strike Kinematics of the Araneoid Trap-Jaw Spider Pararchaea alba (Malkaridae: Pararchaeinae)

Abstract

To capture prey otherwise unattainable by muscle function alone, some animal lineages have evolved movements that are driven by stored elastic energy, producing movements of remarkable speed and force. One such example that has evolved multiple times is a trap-jaw mechanism, in which the mouthparts of an animal are loaded with energy as they open to a wide gape and then, when triggered to close, produce a terrific force. Within the spiders (Araneae), this type of attack has thus far solely been documented in the palpimanoid family Mecysmaucheniidae but a similar morphology has also been observed in the distantly related araneoid subfamily Pararchaeinae, leading to speculation of a trap-jaw attack in that lineage as well. Here, using high-speed videography, we test whether cheliceral strike power output suggests elastic-driven movements in the pararchaeine Pararchaea alba. The strike speed attained places P. alba as a moderately fast striker exceeding the slowest mecysmaucheniids, but failing to the reach the most extreme high-speed strikers that have elastic-driven mechanisms. Using microcomputed tomography, we compare the morphology of P. alba chelicerae in the resting and open positions, and their related musculature, and based on results propose a mechanism for cheliceral strike function that includes a torque reversal latching mechanism. Similar to the distantly related trap-jaw mecysmaucheniid spiders, the unusual prosoma morphology in P. alba seemingly allows for highly maneuverable chelicerae with a much wider gape than typical spiders, suggesting that increasingly maneuverable joints coupled with a latching mechanism may serve as a precursor to elastic-driven movements.