Scientists have just opened our eyes to the truly astounding talents of one such creature—the Triangle Weaver Spider, or Hyptiotes cavatus. This new species of spider uses spring-loaded webs to help it catch prey in a way that’s 100 times faster and more precise than using muscle alone. The creative web design is the result of a different kind of genetic code. These genes encode for proline-rich silk, which is crucial to the spider’s ambush hunting style.
During these collaborative exchanges, researchers learned that Hyptiotes cavatus has a particularly large and complex set of MaSp2 genes. These genes encode proline-rich silk proteins. The dragline silk of this species harbors one of the highest known proline contents (up to 24.3%). This high proline content is significant as it enhances the silk’s elasticity and strength, making the Triangle Weaver Spider’s web an effective tool for ensnaring unsuspecting prey.
The silk proteins produced by Hyptiotes cavatus are truly amazing. In fact, it’s pretty similar to the silk made by Darwin’s Bark Spider, or Caerostris darwini, as it’s called scientifically. Even though they’re only very distantly related, both spiders have convergently evolved their means of silk production. This piece of the discovery provides a view into the creative approaches that species develop to take full advantage of their predatory prowess.
The Triangle Weaver Spider is the creator of the only known three-sided web which it keeps under tension with its long spindly front legs. When a prey item flies into the web, Hyptiotes cavatus rapidly releases the tension, allowing the spring-loaded threads to quickly tangle and immobilize the victim. This rapid response mechanism offers distinct functional performance benefits over more conventional modes of prey capture, highlighting the spider’s evolutionary innovation.
To learn more about the silk production of Hyptiotes cavatus, Chen and the other researchers sequenced its genome. This expansive genomic analysis led to increased understanding of the spider’s diverse proline-rich protein sequences. This new fundamental understanding opens the door for realizing next-generation high-performance biomaterials. Other innovations, inspired by the natural engineering of spider silk, from materials to medical applications will follow.
The Triangle Weaver Spider’s use of a spring-loaded mechanism for catching prey is considered one of the most important evolutionary innovations. Together, this new web technology weaves an interactive experience to highlight the fascinating biology of spider silk. Yet, it suggests thrilling prospects for physical science use cases.
