Regulation on Pardosa pseudoannulata maternal care by pulli through promoting m-Aminophenylacetylene generation-Supplement information table.xlsx

As a representative animal with the maternal care (MC) property, female lycosidaen spiders exhibit extensive MC with typical pulli-carrying (PC) behaviour that mother spiders carry the newly-hatched spiderlings (pulli) on their back of abdomens. Using <em>Pardosa pseudoannulata</em> (Araneae, Lycosidae) as a representative species, it was found that MC in Lycosidae spiders was regulated by pulli. When PC females were separated from pulli, they lost MC, reflecting in the increase of pulli cannibalism and decrease in pulli carrying. Continuous exposure of non-PC females (virgin females and females at post-reproduction stage) to pulli boosted up MC. The compound m-Aminophenylacetylene (m-A) stood out in the cuticular component comparison between PC and non-PC females as m-A was abundantly present in PC females but was scarce in non-PC females. The concentration of m-A positively correlated with MC in spiders. The m-A content in non-PC females were increased when adding pulli. Topical application of m-A to non-PC females triggered MC in females. The results indicated that <em>P. pseudoannulata</em> pulli could sensitize female MC by activating m-A generation. The sensitization of <em>P. pseudoannulata</em> MC through m-A was first reported in arthropods. m-A is different from all substances for MC sensitization in mammals and represents a novel regulator on arthropod MC. MC is important for the population growth for Lycosidae spiders. As a natural enemy against a range of insect pests, the artificial regulation of <em>P. pseudoannulata</em> MC by m-A and its analogues will protect its pulli and promote its effectiveness in the biological control.