Hi, for anyone who lands on this site, I am not currently updating it. My present post-DOC antics can be found at danielzurek.com. Cheers!

New spider paper out

Our new paper on saccadic tracking of targets by jumping spiders is now available online, on the J Comp Physiol A website.

Zurek DB and Nelson XJ (2012) Saccadic tracking of targets mediated by the anterior-lateral eyes of jumping spiders. J Comp Physiol A, DOI: 10.1007/s00359-012-0719-0

The modular visual system of jumping spiders (Salticidae) divides characteristics such as high spatial acuity and wide-field motion detection between different pairs of eyes. A large pair of telescope-like anterior-median (AM) eyes is supported by 2–3 pairs of ‘secondary’ eyes, which provide almost 360 degrees of visual coverage at lower resolution. The AM retinae are moveable and can be pointed at stimuli within their range of motion, but salticids have to turn to bring targets into this frontal zone in the first place. We describe how the front-facing pair of secondary eyes (anterior lateral, AL) mediates this through a series of whole-body ‘tracking saccades’ in response to computer-generated stimuli. We investigated the ‘response area’ of the AL eyes and show a clear correspondence between the physical margins of the retina and stimulus position at the onset of the first saccade. Saccade frequency is maximal at the margin of AL and AM fields of view. Furthermore, spiders markedly increase the velocity with which higher magnitude tracking saccades are carried out. This has the effect that the time during which vision is impaired due to motion blur is kept at an almost constant low level, even during saccades of large magnitude.

Student volunteer project available!

I have a cool project for interested students at Macquarie (or from anywhere, really). The aim of this experiment is to find out ways to trick male jumping spiders into displaying aggressive or mating displays, using artificial stimuli. This will add to our knowledge about the various sensory modes involved in jumping spider communication.

Here's some general info: 

http://ximenanelson.weebly.com/spider-vision.html

http://excusememrscientist.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-i-do-part-1-why-jumping-spiders.html

Skills you will learn: Finding jumping spiders in the field (they're everywhere around MQ), designing experimental protocols, running experiments, working with video, analysing behavioural data. The framework for the experiment is in place, but it is still flexible so you will have room to be creative. The project will take a few weeks, depending on how much time you can put in. Just be aware that this is meant to be a full project from beginning to end, with the possibility of co-authoring a publication once it's done. No previous experience is needed, but as this is a complete research project you should have good organisational skills and be able to work independently to a degree. Bonus if you're comfortable with handling video equipment + software.

If you're interested or have any questions, please contact me at daniel.zurek@mq.edu.au.

Neuroethology poster

Just got my posters printed, I decided to go landscape this time - the photo with the curious spider was just too tempting. Here is the one for the Gordon Neuroethology conference in mid-August. Five awesome sciency weeks start on sunday!

Gearing up for conferences

These are the last weeks before my next conference trip, and I'm busy making posters for Behavior '11 and the Gordon Neuroethology meeting. I'm very excited! This week I found some time to take a few new photos of my spiders with the GF-1. I really love this camera, but was a bit unsure about shooting macro with it ... my current setup with a telephoto lens and a clip-on raynox macro converter works okay, but it's extremely hard to get good shots at higher magification. Definitely useable as poster eye candy though :-) But the next investment will definitely be a proper macro lens + flash.

Awesomeness

This put a huge grin on my furrowed, overworked face. So big that I have to repost it on this poor post-hungry blog. Genius poem about how to deal with woowoo people.

Labs 'n' Lizards

Well, looks like the thing that I meant to avoid happened. The blog barely has half a dozen posts, and already there is a one month hiatus. Maybe it was a bad idea to start it before moving cities and going to the USA for 3 weeks ... Moving from Adelaide back to Sydney meant setting up a new lab, which after some initial headaches turned out to be pretty fun. The new salticid visual behaviour lab is up and running now, and already saw the first set of experiments. Although, after having barely been used for almost a year, the building apparently has been taken over by lizards! I'm now sharing with a rowdy gang of water skinks, and they particularly like to curl up under my Mac Pro.

Dragon's Lair

For now it seems they haven't discovered the spider jars yet, and I'm pretty sure they're not good climbers (right??). Makes me think, "Animals in labs that are not lab animals" would be a good series! I remember a family of dormice living in the electron microscopy room of the Max Planck Institute in Stuttgart ...

starting to feel like I should have three pairs of eyes as well ...

lots of spider shades.

pressing matters.

There are many ways to brew coffee. Some people are picky about that, others just need to get caffeine in their veins somehow, like this guy here:

At uni however, the only free coffee available was either drip filter or instant (shudder). I was constantly tempted to give in to my urges and get nice, espresso based coffee at a cafe. That's fine and all, but at prices of 3-4$ a bit dangerous in the long term ... So, a way to get espresso in the office was needed. As decent espresso machines are not exactly cheap, and need a lot of maintenance, buying one just for the office was not an option. Enter the Presso!

James found this mechanical espresso machine, and I'm baffled that no one had come up with something like this earlier. The basket is filled with fine espresso grounds as usual. Then boiling water (you still need a kettle) is poured in on top, and after ~10s pressed through the basket using the 2 levers. That generates enough pressure to produce true espresso with crema and all (one or two shots), and the quality beats most home-grade espresso machines. It's also very easy on the eyes, like a love child of Philippe Starck's famous lemon squeezer and a wing corkscrew. All at the price of 200 measly dollars. It comes with a handy milk frother included. We bought it for the office a few weeks ago, now it is in constant use. Love it.

one laughing and one crying eye

It's funny cause it's true!



But seriously, it's an awesome life choice. They're totally exaggerating things. I might be 30 and make no money, but I don't have a pony tail!

Have Net? Will inevitably be interupted ...

“Are you catching Butterflies?”

“No, No, No … not butterflies, dragonflies. “

“What?” (I have the tendency to mumble when distracted from the task at hand)

“DRAGON. Flies.”

“Oh. I see... Why?”

“I study their vision, It's quite fascinating they're the top aerial insect predator. Their eyes are ...”

“Ok. Thanks. Bye!”

“Wait don't you … ?”

“Got. To. Go. Bye.”

When out collecting dragonflies you tend to stand out. You're usually in a small group of people carrying nets and bags. Occasionally, the bags are responsibly and gently gently-placed on the ground, usually in the shade. Then, to the casual observer the group appears to come under the collective delusion that they are “hunting wabbits”. Granted aerial “wabbits” but I can understand why the casual observer may be interested in what we are doing / concerned for our sanity.

“Excuse me .. are you catching buht...”

“Dragonflies”

“Oh. Why?”

...

What I do. Part 1 - why jumping spiders?

Many of you who found this new blog probably know that I work with jumping spiders. Those who don't know will likely have one of two reactions that I get a lot: Either it's "Ewww!", or "wow cool!". There really isn't much in between. Well, it's a step up from the raised eyebrows and bewildered "why??" that I got when I was doing my diploma thesis on beetles ...

The Ewww-reaction usually comes from non-biologists. Spiders in general are of course scary to many people, whether they are dangerous or not. "Wow cool" comes from almost everyone who knows what a jumping spider is. Despite the images the name might invoke, jumping spiders (salticids) are probably the least scary group of spiders. They are small, completely harmless, and, yes, cute.