Jumping Spider, Plexippus Paykulli (Audouin) (Salticidae) Exhibits Interspecific Kleptoparasitism; Success Rate and Prey Preference

Salticids are distinct for the develop of unique predatory strategies like Kleptoparasitism .Present paper deales with the interspecific kleptoparasitism , success rate and prey preference of jumping spider Plexippus paykulli in snatching prey from the host ant , Monomorium spp(Formicidae).Study is done in Bidar ,Karnataka,India in April and May 2010 for six alternate days with six hours duration each day from 700hrs to 1100 hrs and 1400hrs to 1600hrs.Prey carried by the Host Ant included winged Camponotus sp (formicidae), Wasp(vespidae) , Ephemera ( ord. Ephemeroptera) and egg cases. Success rate is more in snatching the living and dead prey in comparison to egg cases. Plexippus paykulli prefers living prey to the dead. More food consumption is observed during 900 to 1100 hrs.