Daily pattern of locomotor activity of the synanthropic spiders Loxosceles laeta and Scytodes globula

Abstract

The locomotor activity of the Chilean recluse spider Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet, 1849), and the spitting spider, Scytodes globula Nicolet, 1849, were studied in the laboratory under controlled conditions (LD 12:12). In Chile, these are two common synanthropic spiders which share a microhabitat and show extensive thermal niche overlap. Although no systematic studies have been performed, it has been reported that they have nocturnal habits. Here we confirmed strictly nocturnal activity for S. globula and mainly nocturnal but with some degree of diurnal activity for the Chilean recluse spider. Also, S. globula showed a bimodal pattern of activity while L. laeta had a unimodal one. The similarity of the use of space and time make the interaction of these spiders inside homes highly probable.