• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 1999

We report for the first time the life history of a 'social' spider, Philoponella prominens, living in a temperate region. Philoponella prominens hibernated as immatures or subadults for 7-8 months in 1995 and 1996 from September-October to April-May in central Korea. When they emerged from their winter hibernation, a majority began their lives as commensals in the webs of other species. As the mating season approached, however, commensal spiders switched to become colonial or solitary. The mating season began in early June and lasted until early August. Newly-hatched spiderlings began to appear in the field in late June. They formed a colony by building their webs connected to the mother's by using pan of the mother's web as supporting substrates. As the season progressed, however, some of the colonial spiderlings became commensal or solitary individuals. Our field observations suggest that Philoponella prominens form colonies or commensal associations to reduce the web-building cost.