Researchers from Jinggangshan University in China report a surprising strategy among Aterigena ligurica spiders. During mating, females sometimes enter a state that resembles death. This behavior, described as catalepsy, appears to reduce the risk of cannibalism by the male partner. The finding was documented in Current Zoology.
It is noted that this behavior occurs predominantly when a female encounters a highly desired mate. If the partner shows little interest, the female may actively resist him. In the past, scientists observed similar postures and wondered about their purpose. Early explanations suggested either that the male releases a paralytic chemical or that the female induces a self-imposed state. The study supports the latter explanation as the correct one.
The researchers carried out experiments with female spiders in three scenarios: during mating when catalepsy was evident, after being agitated in a test tube to simulate disruption, and under anesthesia that mimics chemical cues produced by the male. In the final stages, the subjects were cooled to death and the remains were subjected to analysis.
Results showed that during copulation the spiders often act as if they have died of their own accord. When similar conditions were tested in humans, the response resembled anesthesia rather than a self-induced death. This distinction helps explain how the spider communicates safety to the male partner.
The interpretation offered by the scientists is that this feigned death signals to the mate that the female will not attack or escape immediately after mating. Both spiders and researchers acknowledge the ruse. After the mating act concludes, the male tends to move away quickly, and the female typically retreats from the immediate vicinity.