26. 9. 2025
Students from the Biotechnical Educational Centre Ljubljana, Vida Markovič and Zoja Štrubelj have been awarded the Krka Prize for Student Research (https://www.krkinenagrade.si/novice/166-spodbujamo-raziskovalni-potencial-mladih/) for their study on spider behaviour, conducted under the mentorship of Simona Kralj Fišer and Tim Prezelj.
The students focused on mate choice and chemical communication in the African golden orb-weaver (Nephilingis cruentata), a species with a unique mating system in which males plug the female’s genitalia during copulation, thereby preventing further mating. Also, females often cannibalise males. This raised an intriguing question: how do males recognise whether a female has already mated — and thus whether approaching her is worthwhile or risky?
To answer this, students designed behavioural choice experiments in which male spiders were presented with two females — one virgin and one previously mated — while ensuring that only chemical cues (pheromones) could guide their decision.
Their results revealed a clear pattern: males significantly preferred virgin females, demonstrating that they can detect female mating status based solely on chemical signals. From an evolutionary perspective, this discrimination is highly adaptive, as approaching a previously mated female could result in wasted courtship effort or even sexual cannibalism. More: 👉https://bijh.zrc-sazu.si/en/node/105943
Students from the Biotechnical Educational Centre Ljubljana, Vida Markovič and Zoja Štrubelj have been awarded the Krka Prize for Student Research (https://www.krkinenagrade.si/novice/166-spodbujamo-raziskovalni-potencial-mladih/) for their study on spider behaviour, conducted under the mentorship of Simona Kralj Fišer and Tim Prezelj.
The students focused on mate choice and chemical communication in the African golden orb-weaver (Nephilingis cruentata), a species with a unique mating system in which males plug the female’s genitalia during copulation, thereby preventing further mating. Also, females often cannibalise males. This raised an intriguing question: how do males recognise whether a female has already mated — and thus whether approaching her is worthwhile or risky?
To answer this, students designed behavioural choice experiments in which male spiders were presented with two females — one virgin and one previously mated — while ensuring that only chemical cues (pheromones) could guide their decision.
Their results revealed a clear pattern: males significantly preferred virgin females, demonstrating that they can detect female mating status based solely on chemical signals. From an evolutionary perspective, this discrimination is highly adaptive, as approaching a previously mated female could result in wasted courtship effort or even sexual cannibalism. More: 👉https://bijh.zrc-sazu.si/en/node/105943
17. 9. 2025
Why do female spiders sometimes eat their mates, and how do males fight back? 🕷️ Our new review unpacks the evolutionary dynamics of sexual cannibalism and the astonishing male strategies it has shaped — from nuptial gifts to death-feigning and even remote copulation. Open access in Integrative Zoology 👉 https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.13027
Why do female spiders sometimes eat their mates, and how do males fight back? 🕷️ Our new review unpacks the evolutionary dynamics of sexual cannibalism and the astonishing male strategies it has shaped — from nuptial gifts to death-feigning and even remote copulation. Open access in Integrative Zoology 👉 https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.13027
16. 9. 2025
New research findings:
Spiders have personalities—and in Pisaura mirabilis, opposites might attract: adventurous males and cautious females mate longer, revealing hidden personality-driven patterns in romance. Led by
Cristina Tuni. Read more here: 👉 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-025-03642-z
New research findings:
Spiders have personalities—and in Pisaura mirabilis, opposites might attract: adventurous males and cautious females mate longer, revealing hidden personality-driven patterns in romance. Led by
Cristina Tuni. Read more here: 👉 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-025-03642-z
8. 9. 2025
Carolina Ortiz-Movliav, a PhD student from University of Greifswald, visited out institute.
Carolina Ortiz-Movliav, a PhD student from University of Greifswald, visited out institute.
Science, exploration and fun!
2. 9. 2025
We presented our latest research at the 35th Congress of Arachnology in Zadar (Croatia)
We presented our latest research at the 35th Congress of Arachnology in Zadar (Croatia)
- Rok Golobinek et al.: Orb web asymmetry is explained by constraints in running speed
- Luka Žarković et al.:Phylogenetic allometry in orb web size and performance
- Matjaž Gregorič et al.: Which web to invade? The distribution of Argyrodine kleptoparasites among host webs
- Ren-Chung Cheng (alumni) et al.: Urbanization alters web architecture and body coloration in a nocturnal orb-weaving spider
- Simona Kralj-Fišer: Unraveling sexual size dimorphism in spiders: Current insights and emerging frontiers (plenary talk)
19. 8. 2025
Presenting our research at ESEB in Barcelona
- Tim Prezelj: Extreme sexual size dimorphism in Nephilingis cruentata: Insights from carapace width development
- Simona Kralj-Fišer:Life-history trade-offs and lifetime reproductive success under high vs low food availability in a spider
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22. 5. 2025 🧬🔬 Simona Kralj-Fišer spoke about the wild side of evolutionary biology—sexual dimorphism, maternal effects and sexual cannibalism. Grateful for the chance to share how nature really works! 📖 Read the full article in Delo: https://www.delo.si/novice/znanoteh/od-spolnega-dimorfizma-materinskih-ucinkov-do-kanibalizma |
Cryptopsaras couesii (triplewart seadevil). By Dr Tony Ayling - File:.https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5871051
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10. 4. 2025
Simona Kralj-Fišer received the ZRC SAZU Gold Award for top scientific research results, participating in research projects and programs of the ZRC SAZU.
https://generacije.zrc-sazu.si/sl-si/video/zlati/simonakraljfi%C5%A1er
https://generacije.zrc-sazu.si/sl-si/generacije
https://generacije.zrc-sazu.si/sl-si/video/zlati/simonakraljfi%C5%A1er
https://generacije.zrc-sazu.si/sl-si/generacije
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6. 4. 2025
We are thrilled to announce that we have successfully secured two prestigious post-doctoral positions this year, a testament to our ongoing commitment to excellence in science.
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Dr. Taina Conrad received Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship from Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung for project Multimodal communication during courtship in the house cricket Acheta domesticus.
Dr. Franco Cargnelutti won Horizon MSCA post-doctoral project Disrupted Reproduction of Riparian Predators in Polluted Environments.
Dr. Franco Cargnelutti won Horizon MSCA post-doctoral project Disrupted Reproduction of Riparian Predators in Polluted Environments.
22. 1. 2025
We successfully secured project funding for The role of MATernal Effects in Sexual dimorphism evolution (J1-60020 ARIS)
16. & 17. 10. 2023
The kick-off of the "MotheriSeD" project took place, focusing on the influence of maternal effects on sexual size dimorphism. Participants engaged in a fruitful brainstorming session, resulting in the development of excellent ideas and plans! Contributors included Biological Institute Jovan Hadži ZRC SAZU (Matjaž Gregorič, Nik Lupše, Tim Prezelj, Tjaša Lokovšek), Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU (Janez Mulec), UP FAMNIT (Elena Bužan), Biotechnical Faculty - Department of Biology (Cene Fišer, Hans Recknagel), Hólar University College (Paul Debes), and University of Nottingham (Sara Goodacre). Thanks to everyone for their groundbreaking ideas!
02. 10. 2023
New PhD student, Tim Prezelj, welcome to our team!
New PhD student, Tim Prezelj, welcome to our team!
01.03.2023
Nik Lupše, joined our team! Welcome!
Nik Lupše, joined our team! Welcome!
16.02.2023
Our Erasmus+ student Chiara Piraino from the Maastricht University won a Bachelor Student Prize for her thesis that she conducted in our lab
Our Erasmus+ student Chiara Piraino from the Maastricht University won a Bachelor Student Prize for her thesis that she conducted in our lab
19.01.2023
Our alumna Eva Turk keeps getting rewards for her PhD
Our alumna Eva Turk keeps getting rewards for her PhD
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3 June 2022
We got a visitor today.
Gigi Yuan from
Gigi Yuan from
- National Chung Hsing University (Taiwan)
11 May 2022
Dr. Mirko Đorđević from the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"(www.ibiss.bg.ac.rs/index.php/en/evolutionary-biology) visited our institute and gave an interesting lecture about his excellent research
(#mitonuclear #evolution #TrojanFemaleTechnique #CursedSons)
14 February 2022
Eva Turk has defended her doctoral thesis with a distinction and there is more to come...
Congrats Dr. Eva Turk!!!
4 March 2021
First publication from our PhD student Rok Golobinek
The role of personality variation in sexual selection in Mediterranean Black Widow
www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/3/189#
Video www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-y4cL6Dbpc&ab_channel=EZlab
14 September, 2020
Janko Šet successfully defended his master thesis "Heritability of body size in the spider Nephilingis cruentata."
Bravo Janko!
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17th April 2020
Shakira Quiñones-Lebrón, a PhD candidate in our lab, successfully defended her thesis: "Testing natural and sexual selection pressures influencing male size in sexually size dimorphic spiders." Congratulations Dr. Shaki! |
