Vegetarian Spider Described

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday October 13, 2009 @10:34AM from the lacto-ovo dept.

Smivs writes with word on a spider, Bagheera kiplingi, that dines almost exclusively on plants. "The recently described species of jumping spider, discovered by researchers from Villanova and Brandeis Universities, dines on the protein rich tips of acacias, the thorny shrubs found in much of Central America. ... The species of acacia... favored by the Bagheera kiplingi has protein-rich leaf tips and nutritious sap to reward its [symbiotic ant] protectors. ... The Bagheera kiplingi has essentially evolved to steal from the mouths of the ants. These agile, inquisitive jumping spiders can leap up to 50 times their own body lengths... Competition for prey in the spider world is fierce. The Bagheera kiplingi's ancestors took the reflexes evolved for hunting and adapted into a creature that uses them for ant evasion."

42 of 162 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Semi-Vegetarian by lyinhart · 2009-10-13 10:39 · Score: 5, Informative

From TFA: "The truth is, this spider isn’t a complete vegetarian – more of a flexitarian: it still snacks on the occasional ant attacker or ant larvae." So it's kind of like those people who say they're vegetarian, but "eat a little fish" or "a little beef."

I'm still waiting for PETA to release some propaganda relating to this story...

--
Freedom is drinking a beer in the park when you're supposed to be at work.
1. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by Shakrai · 2009-10-13 10:42 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I'm still waiting for PETA [peta.org] to release some propaganda relating to this story...
  They are too busy berating President Obama for murdering that poor innocent housefly.
  PETA: Proudly placing animals ahead of people since 1980.
  
  --
  I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
  We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
2. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by AP31R0N · 2009-10-13 11:38 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  As a vegetarian, i find the term flexitarian annoying. It's like a saying "I'm a virgin because I only do it doggy style". i'm also annoyed by people who say they are lacto-ovo-pollo-pesci vegetarian. They just don't eat cows. No need to label that! Seems more like they are trying to have a trendy label of their own. i'm not looking for a label, i generally avoid mentioning it at all. i just order what i want.
  There's no reason to call this spider vegetarian. It's a spider that eats mostly plants and the occasional bug. It would be more accurate to say omnivore. The term vegetarian couldn't apply to a non-sapient animal. A dog that eats nothing but veggies isn't vegetarian, it's just eating what is available. It's not making a *choice* to not eat animals. These spiders aren't making a choice either. They're following instinct to find an easier source of food. It's an evolutionary change in strategy. For me, it is a choice. i am an omnivore choosing to not eat other animals. These spiders aren't troubled over the treatment of factory farm animals, or worried about cholesterol or anything else. They're just avoiding a crowded field of competition for food.
  Yeah, it's very novel to see a spider nomming on plant matter, but rushing to call it vegetarian is as inane as calling anyone wearing all black goth. They might just be wearing all black... or they might be a juggalo or Marylin Manson fan... or....
  The other thing that bugs me is how much other people obsess about what i'm NOT eating.
  
  --
  Utilizing the synergization of benchmark e-solutions to pre-workaround action items!
3. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by ChameleonDave · 2009-10-13 11:54 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Indeed. I came here to point out much the same thing: it may be OK for the mainstream media to dumb down their reporting by using the anthropomorphic term "vegetarian" (a word referring to a philosophy) instead of the correct term "herbivore" (or, in this case, "omnivore"), but this is supposed to be news for nerds.
  And yes, it's annoying that a sizeable proportion of the comments modded up as insightful on here will essentially be saying "I eat meat. Some people don't. LOL".
4. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by dakameleon · 2009-10-13 12:00 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  They just don't eat cows. No need to label that!
  Err, how about "Hindu"?
  (and before I get the brigade marching in here claiming all manner of insults, I'm Hindu).
  
  --
  Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.
5. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by wizardforce · 2009-10-13 12:56 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  PETA: Proudly placing animals ahead of people since 1980.
  ORLY?
  
  --
  Sigs are too short to say anything truly profound so read the above post instead.
6. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by nmb3000 · 2009-10-13 14:53 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  http://www.petasavesanimals.com/petaKillsAnimals.cfm
  * head explodes *
  
  --
  "What do you despise? By this are you truly known." --Princess Irulan, Manual of Muad'Dib
  /)
7. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by Trogre · 2009-10-13 15:04 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  So why should you deserve a label, while others don't?
  
  --
  "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
8. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by Chris+Mattern · 2009-10-13 16:04 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  A herbivore. Vegetarian implies a conscious decision not to eat meat.
9. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by TimSSG · 2009-10-13 16:45 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  People Ethically Terminating Animals Tim S. PS: I prefer the standard People Eating Tasty Animals.
10. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by osu-neko · 2009-10-13 18:14 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  The term vegetarian couldn't apply to a non-sapient animal.
  At least, not without confusing people who lack the intelligence to figure out when people are speaking figuratively.
  
  --
  "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
11. Re:Semi-Vegetarian by drinkypoo · 2009-10-13 23:39 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  As an omnivore who knows what shape his teeth are (I see them in the mirror every morning, more slashdotters ought to try looking in one occasionally) I find anyone who wants to talk about how vegetarian they are critically annoying, and I was born and "raised" in Santa Cruz which is hippie to the tits. Because it's a college town it's full of young people (I finally get to say that, although I noticed this when I was younger than they were) desperately trying to attach a label to themselves that will make someone think they are cool. It doesn't work, at least after college. Repeatedly and publicly calling yourself a vegetarian is your right, but it's kind of like fraternity/sorority lite. Recognition without commitment.
  There are no indigenous vegetarians. None. You might reflect on that for a time. Plants have nervous systems and memories. I know a former raw food vegan fascist who had a revelation when she cried over murder of a food plant (I promise you I am not making this up, I think it was a broccoli of all things) and went back to feeding her body what it needed, a complete diet. Life feeds on life and we've evolved to eat meat.
  
  It's not making a *choice* to not eat animals. These spiders aren't making a choice either. They're following instinct to find an easier source of food. It's an evolutionary change in strategy. For me, it is a choice.
  Excuse me, what is the difference? Perhaps the meat available to you (at least as far as your body knows) isn't very good, and so your body makes you want to eat vegetables. You think that it's a conscious decision because people like to analyze stuff, but that doesn't mean that you actually made a conscious decision. I'm not saying you didn't, but I argue that it's more likely that you're rationalizing something.
  
  The other thing that bugs me is how much other people obsess about what i'm NOT eating.
  Bullshit, you invite the attention. At least, you did with this comment. It doesn't bug you, it gratifies you. Perhaps you're a vegetarian just to annoy people, and you don't even know it.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by Rei · 2009-10-13 10:39 · Score: 5, Informative

For example, spider mites. Infestations of them are frustratingly difficult to get rid of. They're so tiny that it stretches the bounds of human vision to spot them -- although their webbing is generally easily visible when infestations are bad. Their mouthpieces are designed to cut open individual plant cells. Since they're not insects, many conventional insecticides don't work on them -- for example, acetamiprid.
Of course, then there are the predatory mites that eat the spider mites...

--
"I'm GOD! Yapple Dapple!" -- God, "Jesus Christ Supercop"
1. Re:Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by geekoid · 2009-10-13 10:52 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  If they are vegetarians, why do they make webs?
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
2. Re:Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by Rei · 2009-10-13 10:53 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  To protect the colony from predators.
  
  --
  "I'm GOD! Yapple Dapple!" -- God, "Jesus Christ Supercop"
3. Re:Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-13 10:58 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  "Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians"
  Only the trendy ones.
4. Re:Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-13 11:42 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Their webs are for energy production only. They are peaceful spiders. Really.
5. Re:Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by ignavus · 2009-10-13 12:51 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  If they are vegetarians, why do they make webs?
  So they can have websites?
  
  --
  I am anarch of all I survey.
6. Re:Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by gestalt_n_pepper · 2009-10-13 14:00 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Sort of a "metro-insectual?" (Buh duh BUH!)
  
  --
  Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
7. Re:Well, plenty of arachnids are vegetarians. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-10-14 02:02 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Well, spider mites are not spiders. They are arachnids like spiders, scorpions and ticks, but they are mites.
You don't make friends with salad by atheistmonk · 2009-10-13 10:41 · Score: 2, Funny

Their go the friendship prospects with the neighbourhood arachnids.
1. Re:You don't make friends with salad by some_guy_88 · 2009-10-13 11:04 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Hey! I resent that.
2. Re:You don't make friends with salad by geekboy642 · 2009-10-13 11:07 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Do you only ever post when it gives you the chance to use your fancy punctuation?
  
  --
  Just another "DOJ fascist authoritarian totalitarian bootlicker" -- Zeio
3. Re:You don't make friends with salad by bennomatic · 2009-10-13 11:22 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Once a friend of mine were having a lobster dinner, which came with access to the salad bar. I was getting up to get my salad and asked if he was coming, too, and he said:
  
  "Salad is what food eats."
  
  --
  The CB App. What's your 20?
4. Re:You don't make friends with salad by bennomatic · 2009-10-13 11:23 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Hey, are you two friends or something? Quit showing off your social skills! Makes the rest of us feel bad.
  
  --
  The CB App. What's your 20?
5. Re:You don't make friends with salad by Joe+Snipe · 2009-10-13 11:58 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Wow an atheist monk vegetarian! Let us know if you ascend.
  
  --
  Sometimes, life itself is sarcasm...
6. Re:You don't make friends with salad by BrotherBeal · 2009-10-13 12:16 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  So... are your friends vegetables or are you taking the couch potato metaphor a little too seriously?
  
  --
  I'm disabling ads until because I choose not to reward redesigns that are less usable than "view source".
7. Re:You don't make friends with salad by gestalt_n_pepper · 2009-10-13 14:01 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  It says we don't eat rocky mountain oysters.
  
  --
  Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
8. Re:You don't make friends with salad by Rei · 2009-10-13 15:43 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  The fridge is where the ripe ones with damaged skin or cracks go. They normally turn into sauce, but occasionally go to other uses. The wicker basket on the kitchen table is where the ones without damage go. I can't store ones with damage there because they'll rot. I also dehydrate some.
  I find that the fridge's affect on tomatoes depends strongly on the type. The juicier the tomato, the less they become mealy.
  And I'd imagine vegetarian spiders would agree.
  
  --
  "I'm GOD! Yapple Dapple!" -- God, "Jesus Christ Supercop"
writes on a spider by emeraldemon · 2009-10-13 10:45 · Score: 4, Funny

"Smivs writes with word on a spider..." My first thought when reading this was "What kind of computer is a spider?" followed by "Why isn't he using Open Office?"
Keep Reading... by swanzilla · 2009-10-13 10:51 · Score: 5, Funny

FTA:

Plesiometa Argyra is a fairly common fly and mosquito catching spider in Costa Rica. Every day of its life it weaves a flimsy circular web to catch its prey - unless it gets stung by a Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga wasp. That’s where this spider’s life gets, well, very interesting. The wasp sting briefly paralyzes the spider and eventually turns it into a zombie.
Unfortunately, one must read about a boring vegetarian spider to find out that there exists something as mind-blowing as a zombie spider

--
0 = 1 + e^(Alt something)
1. Re:Keep Reading... by Chris+Burke · 2009-10-13 12:28 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  While Tarantula Hawks are awesome, it's not quite as crazy as what these other wasps do. The T-Hawk's victim is simply paralyzed to serve as food. The argyraphaga victim actually remains mobile, but does the wasp's bidding by first building a specialized web just to hold the larva's cocoon, then waiting patiently in the middle of the web to serve as a snack. It's a zombie minion.
  
  --
  
  The enemies of Democracy are
2. Re:Keep Reading... by FrankSchwab · 2009-10-13 16:21 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Too bad you big mentally strong human being are susceptible...to brain-sucking parasitic amoebas: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/01/brain_parasite/ Unfortunately real.
  
  --
  And the worms ate into his brain.
More evidence that Vegetarianism is emasculating by guidryp · 2009-10-13 10:54 · Score: 2, Funny

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012121331.htm
" with hints of males helping to care for eggs and young, another behavior that is virtually unknown among spiders. "
Re:Damn, I've been tricked. by Chris+Burke · 2009-10-13 11:12 · Score: 2, Funny

Naw, the Ubuntu code name is Vegetarian Velociraptor.

--

The enemies of Democracy are
so this spider has ceased the war on insects by circletimessquare · 2009-10-13 11:25 · Score: 2, Funny

and settled down as a benign vegetarian
give that spider the nobel peace prize

--
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
I Guess 'Omnivore' is Not as Exciting... by RudeIota · 2009-10-13 11:51 · Score: 3, Insightful

For example:
"Surreal" Vegetarian Spider Found -- A First

"Though the spider does occasionally snack on ant larvae, the bulk of their diet is plants" -- Meehan said.

"Vegetarian Spider" results: 118
"Omnivore Spider" results: 2 (both unrelated)

Are they vegetarian? Absolutely not. But it sounds good.

--
Fact: Everything I say is fiction.
OLD NEWS by Subverted · 2009-10-13 12:26 · Score: 2, Informative

This spider is not news... it was last August, but not now... I mean...anyone that knows anything about spiders has known about it for over a year, it was even covered in major publications. Congrats on being late to the party like most of the internet.
Re:More evidence that Vegetarianism is emasculatin by Chris+Burke · 2009-10-13 13:48 · Score: 2, Insightful

" with hints of males helping to care for eggs and young, another behavior that is virtually unknown among spiders. "
Yeah... considering the number of species where the male gets the hell out of dodge as soon as they fertilize the female so they don't get eaten, I'm not so sure a species where the male is confident enough to stick around is a sign of emasculation. :)

--

The enemies of Democracy are
Since they've discovered a vegetarian spider... by hyades1 · 2009-10-13 15:07 · Score: 2, Funny

...can a flesh-eating hamster be far behind?

--
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
"Emo" not "Goth" by syousef · 2009-10-13 15:18 · Score: 2, Funny

Yeah, it's very novel to see a spider nomming on plant matter, but rushing to call it vegetarian is as inane as calling anyone wearing all black goth. They might just be wearing all black...
Aparently it's changed since we were young. "Goth" is a sad 90's sub-culture, but wearing black and mopping around while declaring your hate for everything is "Emo" (which I think is short for emotionally crippled fashion victim).

--
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
1. Re:"Emo" not "Goth" by Taevin · 2009-10-14 03:29 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  wearing black and mopping around
  They can be Emo all they want as long as they keep the floors clean!