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Biological Functions and Evolutionary Aspects

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Attachment Structures and Adhesive Secretions in Arachnids

Part of the book series: Biologically-Inspired Systems ((BISY,volume 7))

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Abstract

This book demonstrates that there is an enormous diversity of attachment devices and adhesives among arachnids. This diversity is comparable to what has previously been found in insects. In this chapter, we discuss the evolutionary driving forces that might have been acted on both the occurrence and shaping of such structures and secretions, in relation to their biological functions. We discuss instances, where the evolution of such structures might have been driven by another precursor function. Examples for this are the locomotory attachment pads of spiders, in which the original function might have been prey capture, or those of amblypygids, where the original function was obviously attachment to the mother cuticle. We discuss the role of sexual selection, as well as herbivore-plant, predator-prey and parasite-host interactions in the evolution of attachment devices and adhesive secretions in arachnids. Further, we discuss the role of attachment devices in dispersal and microhabitat access.

Our survey of attachment devices and adhesives in the previous chapters elucidates their diversity in arachnids. Some of them may be multi-functional, others serve very specific purposes. In order to fulfill the same biological function, different mechanisms have been often evolved in parallel, based either on mechanical interlocking (structure-based), dry adhesion (van der Waals forces), or wet adhesion (capillary or viscous forces). Locomotory attachment pads, prey capture threads of spiders, mating plugs and camouflaging with soil particles represent good examples where different solutions have independently evolved for a similar kind of problem.

In the following, we will discuss factors that may have caused the evolution of attachment organs, and influenced their shaping. In order to understand the relationship between morphology and function, it should always be kept in mind that derived structures (apomorphies) can only evolve on the basis of precursor structures (plesiomorphies), and this, in turn, limits the possibilities of appearance of novelties (phylogenetic burden). Also the initial function of a structure is often different from the actual one (functional shift). The comparison with analogies (homoplasies) in very distantly related taxa, exhibiting a different body plan (like vertebrates), can help to understand the physical principles that favoured evolution of particular shapes or/and properties of structures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute Kiel University, Kiel, Germany

    Jonas O. Wolff & Stanislav N. Gorb

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

    Jonas O. Wolff

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  1. Jonas O. Wolff
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  2. Stanislav N. Gorb
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Wolff, J.O., Gorb, S.N. (2016). Biological Functions and Evolutionary Aspects. In: Attachment Structures and Adhesive Secretions in Arachnids. Biologically-Inspired Systems, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45713-0_9

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