Observations of Portia africana, an araneophagic jumping spider, living together and sharing prey

Abstract

Instances are documented of finding individuals of Portia africana in the field living aggregated in the webs of other spiders, in the nest complexes of other salticids, around solitary nests of other salticids, and around the nests of oecobiid spiders. Aggregation members included all active juvenile stages of P. africana, as well as adult males and females. More than one individual of P. africana sometimes fed on the same prey. Small juveniles of P. africana were more often than other stages found aggregated and more often observed feeding together. Small juveniles of P. africana surrounded the nests occupied by other salticid genera and nests occupied by oecobiid spiders. When the resident salticid or oecobiid attempted to leave or enter the nest, one of the P. africana juveniles lunged and captured it, after which other P. africana individuals sometimes joined to feed.