The Dolomedes raptor is a sexually dimorphic species of spider. The males have two white stripes on the edges of the cephalothorax; whereas the female has white stripes at the ends of the legs (Lin, Zhang, Liao, Hebets and Tso, 2015). These sexually dimorphic traits can be used in reproduction by attracting mates through the visual components found on each spider and may be used in the mating of the spiders (Lin, et.al. 2015). When females select a male, the attractiveness is correlated with the diet of the male (Lin, et.al. 2015). Possessing a distinct colour can also function in some organisms, as a mean of luring prey, especially in nocturnal arthropods (Lin, et.al. 2015).
Lin, et.al. (2015) hypothesized that the white area found on the …show more content…
(2015) revealed the dual function of the nutrient dependent white stripes in both reproductive success and luring prey (Lin, et.al. 2015). White stripes assists in luring prey, suggesting that the white colour has a foraging purpose, making the Dolomedes raptor representative of an accurate visual indicator of foraging history in addition to body size and weight (Lin, et.al.2015). Moreover, the white stripes increased the probability of being accepted by females, this promotes the idea that the sexual signal is based on visuals, which is a very rare phenomenon for nocturnal species (Lin, et.al. 2015). Fishing spiders attained the white stripes though evolution to increase the foraging success, which also led to a function in how female assessment of males based on the white stripe (Lin, et.al. 2015). However, the white stripes may be hazardous in terms of predator risk, as the white colour allows for predators such as the Anoplius depressipus, a species of spider wasps that hunt fishing spiders that hide in twisted leaves (Lin, et.al. 2015). The white stripes are interrelated in the foraging success, mating success and predator risk of the male fishing spider, demonstrating the complex compromises regarding the conspicuous characteristic (Lin, et.al.