Natural history of the ogre-faced spider Deinopis cf. cylindracea (Araneae: Deinopidae): revealing its phenology

Deinopidae spiders are known mainly for their web-building behavior and prey-capture strategy. However, studies on their population ecology are scarce. Therefore, we evaluated the population fluctuation, phenology, and diet of Deinopis cf. cylindracea. We also investigated how abiotic (precipitation and temperature) and biotic (prey availability) factors influence the abundance of this species. Our results showed that D. cf. cylindracea has an annual cycle with a maximum density in March. The reproduction cycle occurs from March to July. The recruitment of spiders occurred between July and October, followed by a peak of young individuals in December, juveniles in February, subadults in April, and adults in May, indicating a 'fall stenochronous' phenological pattern. The climatic variables were important factors that influenced the fluctuation of the age of D. cf. cylindracea. Although we did not find a positive correlation between the climate and its abundance at time 0, we did observe a correlation with a delay of three months. The main preys were Formicidae and Coleoptera, and not all available preys were part of the spiders' diet. These results indicate that the spiders require time to respond to changes in environmental conditions and provide information about the different stages of development over time.