New paper alert!🕷️✨
Tiny spider. Shiny abdomen. Suspiciously wiggly bum.
In our new study, we asked what abdomen bobbing in this jumping spider is really all about:
Cute? Yes. Meaningful? Let’s find out...! [1/8]
@unibonn.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-026-03745-1
Video
I still love the theory a Year 6 child proposed to me that David Attenborough is actually God and he got fed up with people not noticing the amazing things he'd created, so he made documentaries to show off.
🧵 Summary thread on our latest #spider #research. No time to read the #study ? But dying to know why spiders may twerk? This is for you: 🧵
Co authored by @roald-arboel.com and @mherberstein.bsky.social.
Research done at:
@unibonn.bsky.social, @uni-konstanz.de, @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social
Fantastic! An eyeless, short-winged, cave-inhabiting spider wasp (Pompilidae), from Nullarbor, Australia!
doi.org/10.1111/aen....
Fun side note - Nullarbor is the perfect deadpan name for a treeless region. (I described a beetle, Chlamydopsis nullarbor, from the region long ago.)
Don't forget about this excellent opportunity to share your joy and story-telling passion with younger generations! Expressions of interest are due on April 30th:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
🚨 TWERK ALERT 🚨 New publication from @sleeblab.bsky.social !
This was a very fun project to write up, co-lead by @nadjageiger.bsky.social and Chiara Hirschkorn.
If you are interested why these spiders might bob their abdomen:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
(Short thread following soon)
