The costs of male courtship and potential benefits of male choice for large mates in Phidippus clarus (Araneae, Salticidae)

Despite a wealth of research on the benefits of mate choice, empirical evidence for the costs of courtship is scarce. Understanding the interplay between the costs and benefits of reproductive behaviors is critical to our understanding of sexual selection. I present a study designed to explore the potential reproductive benefits of male choosiness for large mates as well as the costs of courtship in the jumping spider Phidippus clarus (Keyserling 1885). My findings suggest that a positive relationship between female tibia length and the number of emerging spiderlings may underlie male choice for large females. However, this benefit may be mitigated by the longevity costs of courtship. Further investigation of the potential trade-offs between the benefits of male preferences for large females and the costs of courtship in this species is required.