Drugs alter web-building of spiders: A review and evaluation

Over twenty-two years of research on spider web building shows that drugs, temperature, and light can alter or prevent web construction. Pentobarbital sodium caused spiders to stop building radii before completion. D-amphetamine produced irregular radius and spiral spacing while probing movements remained regular, with geometric disturbance severity matching drug concentration. Scopolamine caused wide deviation of spiral spacing distinct from amphetamine, while LSD-25 led to unusually regular webs. Cholinergic and anticholinergic drugs, tranquilizers, and other substances changed catching area, thread length, density, thickness, and web weight. Glandular or central nervous system drug targets are identified, and disturbed webs are seen as interference at multiple levels contributing to the integrated pattern. Web building is evaluated as a biological test for identifying pathogenic substances in body fluids.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Twenty-two years of investigation of spider-web-building and its sensitivity to drugs has produced insight into this invertebrate behavior pattern and its vulnerability. Most data were collected by measuring and analyzing photographs of webs built under different circumstances; groups of web data were subjected to statistical comparisons. Another approach was through analysis of motion pictures of the construction of orbs, built with or without interference. Drugs (chlorpromazine, diazepam, psilocybin), as well as temperature and light conditions could prevent onset of web-building and pentobarbital sodium could cause end of radius construction before completion. D-amphetamine caused irregular radius and spiral spacing, but showed regular execution of probing movements; the severity of the disturbance in geometry corresponded to drug concentration in the body. Scopolamine caused wide deviation of spiral spacing distinctly different from amphetamine, while LSD-25 application resulted in unusually regular webs. Size of catching area, length of thread, density of structure, thread thickness, and web weight were varied in different ways through treatment with cholinergic and anticholinergic drugs, tranquilizers, etc. Glandular or central nervous system points of attack for drugs are identified, and disturbed webs regarded as the result of interference at any of several levels which contribute to the integrated pattern. Web-building as a biological test method for identification of pathogenic substances in patients' body fluids is evaluated.