Contents of the Jumping Spider
Dances module
Synopsis: Jumping spiders are used
as an example to illustrate the basics of sexual selection. A self-scoring
quiz tests how well the user understands and remembers the information
presented. The module finishes with a detailed description of a case study
of a species of jumping spider that lives in the mountains of southeastern
Arizona. The module is about 15 pages long.
Introduction
Getting Started: learning objectives and technical
requirements
What is sexual selection? Similarities and
differences between sexual selection and natural selection.
Gamete size and reproductive allocation.
Slide show: Gamete size and resource allocation:
illustrates how resources are allocated to production of gametes (JavaScript
and GIF images)
-- Gamete size and resource allocation,
without slide show
Potential reproductive rates: how selection
molds the different behaviors of males and females
Sex ratios: the difference between "sex ratio"
and "operational sex ratio."
Male competition and female choice: the most
common pattern in sexual behavior
5a. Colorful males
(photo gallery)
5b. Drab females
(photo gallery)
Courtship dances: about the courtship behaviors,
with links to spider movies
Quiz on sexual selection
Actual research: sexual selection and speciation--research
at the University of Arizona
enlarged graphic
from page 8
Climate change and biogeography: how the different
populations of a species of jumping spider became separated
enlarged graphic
from page 9
Population divergence: how the populations
have come to differ over time.
enlarged graphic
from page 10
Sexual selection caught in the act: the link
between sexual selection and speciation
Abstract
of research paper
Summary: Review of the module.
Credits for Jumping Spider module.
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