Meeting Abstract
Kin selection is common in nature among cannibalistic organisms that have a high kin encounter rate. The jumping spider Phidippus audax (Araneae: Salticidae) has a high, localized population density and is widely distributed. We studied the effects of kinship on cannibalism in the second through the seventh instars of this species. We observed differential kin selection in various stages of the life cycle for related vs. unrelated pairs of spiders. Cannibalism was minimal in the second and third instars as a product of indirect, inclusive fitness. Although cannibalism did occur in the fourth through seventh instars in a manner consistent with a dispersal dependent hypothesis, this may have been caused by malnutrition rather than lack of kin-selection or recognition.
