Complex display behaviour of Evarcha culicivora, an East African mosquito-eating jumping spider

Evarcha culicivora, an East African jumping spider (Salticidae), is an unusual predator because it feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as preferred prey. It also associates with particular plant species, Lantana camara and Ricinus communis. Here we document this species' exceptionally complex display repertoire. In common with many other salticids, E. culicivora exhibits pronounced courtship versatility, with males using different tactics depending on the female's location and state of maturity. However, in contrast to most other salticids that have been studied, the males and the females of E. culicivora are both active at initiating and sustaining courtship, and both sexes are cannibalistic. Contrary to the emphasis in the literature on female spiders eating males, females of E. culicivora run a higher risk of being killed by males than vice versa during courtship. E. culicivora males also differ from other salticids that have been studied by adopting pronounced copulatory courtship. Male-female interactions of E. culicivora are especially complex when encounters are in the foliage of L. camara and R. communis.