Talk:Spider cannibalism

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Article Grading: The following comments were left by the quality and importance raters: (edit · refresh) clean up maybe find other examples -> new sections. --Sarefo 16:24, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

Both males and females of the African jumping spider species can cannibalise their partner after copulation. "That equal opportunity behaviour extends to two-way cannibalism as well, with males consuming their loved ones only slightly more often as the reverse" (full article)

My question is - what evolutionary benefit does the male get by eating the female with whom he has just mated? Isn't he reducing his chances of passing on his genes?

Ajgaon 19:18, 25 September 2007 (UTC)ajgaon