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Deadly Spider Demands Long Courtship, or Else
discovery ^
| Oct. 21, 2009
| Jennifer Viegas
Posted on 10/22/2009 12:44:36 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Females of the Australian redback spider, one of the world's most poisonous spiders and a close relative to the black widow, demand 100 minutes of courting or else they usually cannibalize their male suitors, research finds.
Proving that bigger isn't always better in the mating game, the tiniest of males sometimes approach female redbacks after offering the critical 100 minutes of wooing and successfully mate without being eaten, according to the paper in the latest Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The study shows that puny males of this species can win at love without exerting much effort and begins to explain the extreme size differences between males and females among some spider species.
"Based upon our data of the timing of premature lethal cannibalism, it appears as though females are not tuned to select male size, but rather the duration of courtship," co-author Jeffrey Stoltz told Discovery News.
TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: courtship; foreplay; jpb; spider
Deadly Game Male Australian redback spiders who want to mate must provide exactly 100 minutes of courting or they are eaten by the giant female targets of their attention.
To: JoeProBono
I had an ex that required $100 of wooing before any mating occurred.
She's my ex because she was charging others a lot less.
2
posted on
10/22/2009 12:46:50 PM PDT
by
Pistolshot
(Brevity: Saying a lot, while saying very little.)
To: JoeProBono
LOL, waiting on a certain picture that surely must be coming to this thread .... :)
3
posted on
10/22/2009 12:47:05 PM PDT
by
F15Eagle
(1 John 5:4-5, 4:15, John 11:25, 14:6, 1 Tim 2:5, John 3:17-18, John 20:31, 1 John 5:13, John 6:69)
To: JoeProBono
Wow, talk about “high maintenance.”
4
posted on
10/22/2009 12:47:42 PM PDT
by
randomhero97
("First you want to kill me, now you want to kiss me. Blow!" - Ash)
To: Pistolshot
5
posted on
10/22/2009 12:49:29 PM PDT
by
randomhero97
("First you want to kill me, now you want to kiss me. Blow!" - Ash)
To: JoeProBono
Well, at least they don’t have to listen to them.
parsy, who enjoys quietness
6
posted on
10/22/2009 12:54:46 PM PDT
by
parsifal
(Abatis: Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside)
To: Pistolshot
7
posted on
10/22/2009 1:01:25 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
***this species can win at love without exerting much effort***
Yeah Baby!
8
posted on
10/22/2009 1:11:43 PM PDT
by
sodpoodle
(Never give up- Keep Up!!!)
To: JoeProBono
Maybe the smaller males are eaten less often because they are not enough of a meal to be worth the trouble.
9
posted on
10/22/2009 1:13:48 PM PDT
by
Hacklehead
(Liberalism is the art of taking what works, breaking it, and then blaming conservatives.)
To: Pistolshot
10
posted on
10/22/2009 1:14:17 PM PDT
by
silverleaf
("For America today, decline is not a condition. Decline is a choice"- Krauthammer)
To: randomhero97
11
posted on
10/22/2009 1:14:51 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
Sixty-minute man
They call me Lovin' Dan
I rock 'em, roll 'em all night long
I'm a sixty-minute "CHOMP!"
12
posted on
10/22/2009 1:15:48 PM PDT
by
Tijeras_Slim
(Live jubtabulously!)
To: Pistolshot
**....begins to explain the extreme size differences between males and females among some spider species.**
Sometimes little things do mean a lot;)
13
posted on
10/22/2009 1:16:10 PM PDT
by
sodpoodle
(Never give up- Keep Up!!!)
To: F15Eagle
14
posted on
10/22/2009 1:16:32 PM PDT
by
Jewbacca
(The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
To: parsifal
15
posted on
10/22/2009 1:17:53 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Jewbacca
Cute little girl there ... I hope that ugly wench in the spider-suit doesn’t hurt her.
16
posted on
10/22/2009 1:18:33 PM PDT
by
ArrogantBustard
(Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
To: JoeProBono
17
posted on
10/22/2009 1:21:24 PM PDT
by
Pistolshot
(Brevity: Saying a lot, while saying very little.)
To: JoeProBono
Females of the Australian redback spider, one of the world's most poisonous spiders and a close relative to the black widow, demand 100 minutes of courting or else they usually cannibalize their male suitors, research finds. If your courtship ritual lasts 4 hours or more, please consult an arachnologist.
18
posted on
10/22/2009 1:22:23 PM PDT
by
KarlInOhio
(Soon everyone will win a Nobel Peace Prize for not being George Bush...well, except for George Bush.)
To: JoeProBono
hey dude, you better forget the coldplay approach
19
posted on
10/22/2009 1:22:35 PM PDT
by
NonValueAdded
("The Democrats scare me, the GOP infuriates me.")
To: JoeProBono
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Never mind, I just really think I don’t wanna know...
Colonel, USAFR
20
posted on
10/22/2009 1:23:19 PM PDT
by
jagusafr
(Kill the red lizard, Lord! - nod to C.S. Lewis)
To: Jewbacca
21
posted on
10/22/2009 1:27:04 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
I'm betting the small male spiders have lots of money and drive a Ferrari.
Regards,
TS
You posted this thread just so you could post the pic at 15 didn't you? Who is she and what did she do to you?
22
posted on
10/22/2009 1:29:35 PM PDT
by
The Shrew
(www.wintersoldier.com; www.tstrs.com; The Truth Shall Set You Free!)
To: JoeProBono
Which just proves once again: “It isn’t the size of the ship but the motion in the ocean.....”
To: JoeProBono
Gadzooks Batman!....She looks like she needs a spanking!
To: AngelesCrestHighway
To: JoeProBono
However....speaking of RedBack...
If you ever find yourself in Perth/Fremantle...
Redback Beer.
Best.
Beer.
Ever.
Wish you could get in here in USA!
26
posted on
10/22/2009 2:01:00 PM PDT
by
NorCoGOP
(Recession: friend loses his job. Depression: You lose your job. Recovery: Obama loses his job.)
To: JoeProBono
Gerta!....You vil like it or else!...
To: The Shrew
28
posted on
10/22/2009 2:05:29 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
O.K.!....that did it!...I’m logging off! My dinner is ruined!
To: JoeProBono
I take it you don't have a Ferrari?
Regards,
TS
30
posted on
10/22/2009 2:08:10 PM PDT
by
The Shrew
(www.wintersoldier.com; www.tstrs.com; The Truth Shall Set You Free!)
To: JoeProBono
Yeah! Like that could get up the side of a building!
To: JoeProBono
Shame on you. Now go sit in the corner!
32
posted on
10/22/2009 2:10:08 PM PDT
by
MaxMax
(Obama can't play in the Olympic reindeer games)
To: The Shrew
33
posted on
10/22/2009 2:13:04 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
100 minutes? That’s a short movie and a quick burger.
Works for me....sometimes...
34
posted on
10/22/2009 4:38:02 PM PDT
by
Moltke
(DOPE will get you 4 to 8 in the Big House - HOPE will get you 4 to 8 in the White House.)
To: Jewbacca
Holy CRAP!...is that genuine???
35
posted on
10/22/2009 10:25:26 PM PDT
by
grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
To: JoeProBono; Pistolshot
36
posted on
10/22/2009 10:31:07 PM PDT
by
grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
To: parsifal
Like, *PING* to post 15 -- you have often said you are afraid of women.
Was this "The One" who traumatized you so badly ? ;-)
Cheers!
37
posted on
10/22/2009 10:32:27 PM PDT
by
grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
To: Daffynition
38
posted on
10/22/2009 10:35:59 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Jewbacca
39
posted on
10/23/2009 1:55:02 AM PDT
by
F15Eagle
(1 John 5:4-5, 4:15, John 11:25, 14:6, 1 Tim 2:5, John 3:17-18, John 20:31, 1 John 5:13, John 6:69)
To: grey_whiskers
Yes, that is Michelle’s dress from the convention.
Black widow symbolism was only lost on those who did not know.
40
posted on
10/23/2009 7:33:09 AM PDT
by
Jewbacca
(The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
To: grey_whiskers
No, she doesn’t have a cast iron skillet.
parsy, who says LOL!
41
posted on
10/23/2009 8:30:23 AM PDT
by
parsifal
(Abatis: Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside)
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