Abstract
The form of a spider's web can be seen as a representation of inherited rules of behaviour, although the geometry of the orb web is not rigidly predetermined. Examining the web as a product of orientation processes is a novel and powerful tool for analysing the measuring functions and decision rules of the spider's web-building behaviour. The garden spider Araneus diadematus Clerk orients the main (capture) spiral of the web according to measurements taken by particular legs. This is apparent when a measuring leg has been regenerated, because the reduced length of the regenerate is reflected in the geometry of the capture spiral. The orientation of the auxiliary spiral (used for support during construction), on the other hand, is not affected and I conclude that the two spirals, both of which are present in each web, are constructed according to different behavioural rules.
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Vollrath, F. Altered geometry of webs in spiders with regenerated legs. Nature 328, 247–248 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/328247a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/328247a0
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