Prey acceptance and metabolic specialisations in some Canarian Dysdera spiders

• Spiders of the genus Dysdera have specialized in preying on woodlice (isopods) Many endemic species inhabit Canary Islands. They show different morphological adaptation to prey woodlice. Specialised reduced protein extraction efficiency from non-isopod prey. This may represent a metabolic trade-off isopod specialisation. are peculiar for their terrestrial isopods though preference this type varies between species. We tested acceptance two and 8 Islands, analyzed growth parameters (growth efficiency; dry mass, lipid N lipid:protein consumption ratio) 6 these when fed either house flies ( Musca domestica ) or Porcellio scaber laboratory. The represented four types (unmodified chelicerae, slightly elongated concave flattened fang), supposedly reflecting specializations results showed relative increased groups with specialised morphologies compared unmodified group. All had similar lower feeding than flies. Extraction mass were higher isopods, while was also utilized equally well, but utilization presumed specialist generalist species, indicating possible Thus, adaptations associated behavioural preferences ability handle ‘generalist’