Rare Records of Tropical Spiders Preying on Vertebrates in Southwest China

Abstract

We report four rare instances of spider–vertebrate predation documented at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Southwest China. The predatory events involved four spider species: Nephila pilipes (Nephilidae), an unidentified Bowie sp. (Ctenidae), Heteropoda venatoria, and H. tetrica (Sparassidae). The prey taxa included representatives from avian, reptilian (snake and gecko), and mammalian (shrew) classes. These unusual predation occurrences highlight previously underreported trophic interactions in Asia and underscore the potential impact of large spiders on vertebrate prey dynamics in tropical ecosystems. Notably, repeated avian predation by Nephila pilipes over a 3-day period provided valuable insights into spider feeding behavior. These findings expand current knowledge of spider predation on vertebrates and trophic roles, highlighting the ecological and conservation significance of large-bodied spiders in Asian tropical biodiversity hotspots.

Keywords

spider behavior / spider–vertebrate predation / trophic interactions / tropical ecology / Xishuangbanna

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2025 The Author(s). Integrative Conservation published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG).