We propose a practical concept that distinguishes the particular kind of weaponry that has
evolved to be used in combat between individuals of the same species and sex, which we …

Sexual size dimorphism is one of the most striking animal traits, and among terrestrial
animals, it is most extreme in certain spider lineages. The most extreme sexual size …

Spiders are the preeminent silk craftsmen among arthropods and are best known for
producing aerial orb webs that snare flying insects. Orb web spiders are ubiquitous …

While we joke that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, our gender differences
can't compare to those of many other animals. For instance, the male garden spider …

A prominent question in animal research is how the evolution of morphology and ecology
interacts in the generation of phenotypic diversity. Spiders are some of the most abundant …

In describing the behavior and ecology of animals, the term “mating system” broadly
describes the population-or species-specific pattern of mating between individuals. While …

Sexual differences in size and shape are common across the animal kingdom. The study of
sexual dimorphism (SD) can provide insight into the sexual-and natural-selection pressures …

Simple Summary Anthropogenic climate change is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity.
Extreme temperature events associated with longer-term climate change are increasing in …

Highlights•Male body size is important for mating success in many species.•Steatoda grossa
males obtain mating success regardless of body size.•Under competitive conditions, larger …

Once thought to be energetically cheap and easy to produce, empirical work has shown that
sperm is a costly and limited resource for males. In some spider species, there is behavioral …