UVB-Based Mate-Choice Cues Used by Females of the Jumping Spider Phintella vittata

SummaryAlthough there are numerous examples of animals having photoreceptors sensitive to UVA (315–400 nm) [1] and relying on UVA-based mate-choice cues 2, 3, 4 and 5, here we provide the first evidence of an animal using UVB (280–315 nm) for intraspecific communication. An earlier study showed that Phintella vittata, a jumping spider (Salticidae) from China, reflects UVB [6]. By performing six series of binary mate-choice experiments in which we varied lighting conditions with filters (UVB+ [no filter] versus UVB−, UVB+ versus ND1, UVB+ versus ND2, UVB− versus ND1, UVB− versus ND2, and UVB− versus UVA−), we show that significantly more UVB + males than UVB− males are chosen by females as preferred mates. Female preference for UVB-reflective males is not affected by differences in brightness or by UVA.