On Stage: Wolf Spiders Perform 45-Minute Tap Dance to Attract Mates 0 15

Male wolf spiders Schizocosa stridulans perform a complex 45-minute 'dance program' to attract the attention of females. Their chances of success depend on the complexity of their 'moves.'

It was previously unclear why females prefer more skilled dancers. However, in a recent study, biologists found that the males' talent is more pronounced when they like the object of their courtship. In response, the females' rhythms become more elaborate. The study is published in the journal Biology Letters.

The dance is always accompanied by sounds reminiscent of tapping nails on a rough surface and the clicking of heels on linoleum. If the female is large and, therefore, more fertile, the male begins to improvise 'spider jazz,' changing the tempo based on her responses.

Such complex rituals are characteristic of many animal groups, but the complexity of the courtship displays of spiders surprises even specialists.

'This really confirms that spiders are as complex as any other animals,' the researchers note.

Additionally, arachnologists found that loud dances are not favored by female wolf spiders. It is not the volume that matters, but the uniqueness of the rhythm that the enamored arthropod taps out.