For this species of small spiders, singing is even vital, according to a scientific study.
Some animal species go to great lengths to survive. Including (especially?) finding a partner in nature. To stand out from their peers and be able to reproduce, anything is allowed. In 2016, an American scientist carried out a study on a certain species of spider, called jumping spiders. This small furry animal, with eight (!) eyes and as many legs, measures only between 1 and 25 millimeters. Jumping spiders have another particularity that has attracted the attention of researchers: their courtship display.
To seduce a partner, this little beast sets about performing an exuberant choreography. But to attract the attention of a female, the male… sings! In addition to flapping its legs, swinging or rubbing its abdomen, the jumping spider is capable of singing to seduce a dance partner. Not having ears strictly speaking, the female “hears” the male’s song thanks to slits located in her legs.
If she is convinced by the show, the male will be able to reproduce with her. But if the female does not allow herself to be lured by the male’s song, she may attack him or even… eat him! Performing a dance and a song to attract the favor of a partner is therefore vital for this little spider.
The song of the jumping spider is composed of a series of blows, rubs, buzzes or scratches, made with different parts of its body. All these sounds are synchronized and can be specific to each individual, it is added in the study.
To be able to hear the spider’s song, which is not audible to the human ear, the scientists who carried out this study recorded the vibrations emitted by the male. In their laboratory, the researchers were then able to transform these sounds into a recording audible to humans, as can be seen in the YouTube video above.