Does building activity influence web construction and web characteristics in the orb-web spider Zygiella x-notata (Araneae, Araneidae)?

Zoological Studies

Table 1 Mean (SD) of parameters measured or calculated on webs built by the spiders reared in boxes

Parameters	Mean (SD)		t test ( p)
Parameters	Test 1	Test 2	t test ( p)
Length of the spiral thread (cm)	520 (25)	373 (29)	4.22 (<0.001)
Surface of the capture area (cm²)	114 (11)	98 (12)	4.02 (<0.001)
Asymmetry	0.3 (0.03)	0.26 (.03)	1.28 (0.21)
Number of radii	26 (1)	24 (1)	1.27 (0.22)
Length of the lower part (cm)	8.5 (0.5)	6.1 (0.4)	3.54 (0.002)
Number of spiral turns	31 (1)	26 (2)	2.39 (0.025)
Mesh height (mm)	2.7 (0.2)	2.7 (0.2)	0.34 (0.74)
Anomaly ratio (A/CTL)	8 (0)	16 (2)	4.34 (<0.001)

Comparisons were made between tests 1 and 2 (t test for paired data, n = 25). Italicised characters indicate that the difference is significant at least at p < 0.05.