The Effect of Temperature on the Courtship Behavior of the Wolf Spider Schizocosa rovneri (Araneae: Lycosidae)

Courtship behaviors and copulation were observed between pairs of the wolf spider Schizocosa rovneri. Latency to courtship, rate of bouncing, duration of series, duration of interseries and copulation duration at a range of 4.4 to 41.1 C were analyzed. The variation between individual spiders was not significant for latency to courtship, rate of bouncing, duration of series, duration of interseries or copulation duration, nor was the variation between individual spiders at any one temperature significant for any of the behaviors. There was a significant negative correlation between temperature and rate of bouncing. There was a negative but not significant correlation between duration of series and temperature, duration of interseries and temperature, and copulation duration and temperature.