DOI: 10.5061/dryad.4b8gthtnf
title: Data from: Do green lynx spiders (Peucetia viridans) change color in response to their backgrounds?

description: For animals that traverse patchy or dynamic backgrounds, morphological
 color change can help to stay hidden from predators and prey. The green
 lynx spider (Peucetia viridans) is a sit-and-wait predator that hunts
 pollinators and other insects among vegetation. In the field, they are
 often bright green with variable patterns of white, red, orange, yellow,
 and purple, and individuals often appear well-matched to their
 backgrounds. A previous study that relied on human observers to assess
 color suggested these spiders can shift their body colors to match their
 surroundings. Our goal was to replicate this work using modern reflectance
 spectrophotometry to quantify spider colors. Across two experiments (in
 different years), we collected adult female spiders and assigned them to
 three differently colored backgrounds in the lab. Unexpectedly, we found
 no evidence that the spiders in our study shifted their colors to match
 their backgrounds. However, exploratory analyses revealed that color
 change did occur, just not as expected, and was likely related to
 senescence, diet, body condition, or some combination. We discuss these
 findings in the context of previous work and suggest that the complex
 nature of color change in this species makes them promising candidates to
 provide novel insights for the field.
description: # Data from: Do green lynx spiders (Peucetia viridans) change color in
 response to their backgrounds? **GENERAL INFORMATION** 1.      Title of
 Dataset: Do green lynx spiders (*Peucetia viridans*) change color in
 response to their backgrounds? 2.      Author contact information: a.     
 Name: Michael E. Vickers (corresponding author) Institution: University of
 the Free State, University of Florida Email:
 [vickers.me@ufs.ac.za](mailto:vickers.me@ufs.ac.za),
 [vickersmichael9@gmail.com](mailto:vickersmichael9@gmail.com) b.     
 Name: Madison L. Heisey Institution: University of Florida Email:
 [mheisey@ufl.edu](mailto:mheisey@ufl.edu) c.      Name: Lisa A. Taylor
 Institution: University of Florida Email:
 [lisa.taylor@ufl.edu](mailto:lisa.taylor@ufl.edu),
 [lisa.anne.taylor@gmail.com](mailto:lisa.anne.taylor@gmail.com) **DATA
 & FILE OVERVIEW** This dataset contains three Excel files entitled:
 1.      “DRYAD – Green Lynx Experiment Data” 2.      “DRYAD – Green Lynx
 Raw Spectral Data” 3.      “DRYAD – Background Paper and Flower Spectral
 Data” **METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION** For all methodological details of
 data collection and funding sources see the following manuscript: Vickers,
 M. E., Heisey, M. L., & Taylor, L. A. 2025. Do green lynx spiders
 (*Peucetia viridans*) change color in response to their
 backgrounds? Ethology. e13558. The data contained in these datasets can be
 used to replicate all analyses that are detailed in the above manuscript.
 **DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION** 1.      The excel file, **DRYAD – Green Lynx
 Experiment Data** contains four sheets in total with two sheets for
 Experiment 1 yellow marked tabs) and two sheets for Experiment 2 (green
 marked tabs). All column headings clearly describe the contents of the
 columns and allow one to fully replicate the analyses described in the
 manuscript. The sheet labelled “Exp 1 – Collection Info” has the following
 columns: A)    Spider ID: Used as an identifier for each spider in
 Experiment 1. These numbers are arbitrary and are assigned during
 collection, before spiders are entered into an experiment. B)   
 Collection Date: Date (MM/DD/YYYY) the spider was collected from the
 field. C)    Treatment Color: The color treatment spiders were assigned to
 at the beginning of the experiment. D)    Treatment Start Date: Date
 spiders started in the experiment (i.e., the date they were first housed
 on their assigned color treatment). E)     Treatment End Date: Date
 spiders ended time spent within color treatment (i.e., the date their time
 in the experimental pipeline ended).   The sheet labelled “Exp 1 –
 Research Data” has the following columns. Note that the color calculations
 described below are calculated using the raw data found in the excel file
 “DRYAD – Green Lynx Raw Spectral Data” A)    Spider ID: Used as an
 identifier for each spider in Experiment 1. These numbers are arbitrary
 and are assigned during collection, before spiders are entered into an
 experiment. B)    Treatment Color: The color treatment spiders were
 assigned to at the beginning of the experiment. C)    Day 0 Carapace
 Brightness: The mean reflectance of the carapace across the visible
 spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the start of the color treatment
 (Day 0). D)    Day 0 Carapace Green Chroma: This value is calculated by
 taking the sum of spectral values within the 500-600 nm (“green”) range
 and dividing it by the total brightness value (total of the values from
 280-700 nm). This value is at the start of the color treatment (Day 0).
 E)     Day 0 Carapace Red Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the
 sum of spectral values within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it
 by the total brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This
 value is at the start of the color treatment (Day 0). F)     Day 45
 Carapace Brightness: The mean reflectance of the carapace across the
 visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the end of the color
 treatment (Day 45). G)    Day 45 Carapace Green Chroma: This value is
 calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the 500-600 nm
 (“green”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value (total of
 the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the color
 treatment (Day 45). H)    Day 45 Carapace Red Chroma: This value is
 calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the 660-700 nm
 (“red”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value (total of the
 values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the color treatment
 (Day 45). I)      Day 0 Dorsal Abdomen Brightness: The mean reflectance of
 the dorsal abdomen across the visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value
 is at the start of the color treatment (Day 0). J)      Day 0 Dorsal
 Abdomen Green Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of
 spectral values within the 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by
 the total brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This
 value is at the start of the color treatment (Day 0). K)    Day 0 Dorsal
 Abdomen Red Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral
 values within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the total
 brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at
 the start of the color treatment (Day 0). L)     Day 45 Dorsal Abdomen
 Brightness: The mean reflectance of the dorsal abdomen across the visible
 spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the end of the color treatment
 (Day 45). M)   Day 45 Dorsal Abdomen Green Chroma: This value is
 calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the 500-600 nm
 (“green”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value (total of
 the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the color
 treatment (Day 45). N)    Day 45 Dorsal Abdomen Red Chroma: This value is
 calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the 660-700 nm
 (“red”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value (total of the
 values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the color treatment
 (Day 45). O)    Day 0 Lateral Abdomen Brightness: The mean reflectance of
 the lateral abdomen across the visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value
 is at the start of the color treatment (Day 0). P)     Day 0 Lateral
 Abdomen Green Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of
 spectral values within the 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by
 the total brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This
 value is at the start of the color treatment (Day 0). Q)    Day 0 Lateral
 Abdomen Red Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral
 values within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the total
 brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at
 the start of the color treatment (Day 0). R)    Day 45 Lateral Abdomen
 Brightness: The mean reflectance of the lateral abdomen across the visible
 spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the end of the color treatment
 (Day 45). S)     Day 45 Lateral Abdomen Green Chroma: This value is
 calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the 500-600 nm
 (“green”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value (total of
 the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the color
 treatment (Day 45). T)     Day 45 Lateral Abdomen Red Chroma: This value
 is calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the 660-700 nm
 (“red”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value (total of the
 values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the color treatment
 (Day 45). The sheet labelled “Exp 2 – Collection Info” has the following
 columns: A)    Spider ID: Used as an identifier for each spider in
 Experiment 2. These numbers are arbitrary and are assigned during
 collection, before spiders are entered into an experiment. B)   
 Collection Date: Date (MM/DD/YYYY) the spider was collected from the
 field. C)    Treatment Color: The color treatment spiders were assigned to
 at the beginning of the experiment. D)    Treatment Start Date: Date
 spiders started in the experiment (i.e., the date they were first housed
 on their assigned color treatment). E)     Treatment End Date: Date
 spiders ended time spent within color treatment (i.e., the date their time
 in the experimental pipeline ended).  F)     Days between cricket diet
 change (11/23/2022) and end of treatment: The total number of days that
 elapsed between the date the spiders’ diet switched from flies to crickets
 and the treatment end date. G)    Egg sac laid during experiment (Yes/No):
 Indicates whether or not an egg sac was laid while the spider was in the
 experimental pipeline. H)    Egg sac date (if laid). If no egg sac, cell
 is left blank: Whether or not the spider laid an egg sac while in the
 experimental pipeline. If an egg sac was laid a date is provided, but if
 no egg sac was laid the cell is blank. I)      Time between egg laying and
 final color measurement (days). If no egg sac, cell is left blank: If an
 egg sac was laid, this value is the total number of days between the date
 the spider laid an egg sac and the treatment end date. For spiders that
 did not lay an egg sac, the cell is blank. A zero indicates the spider
 laid an egg sac on the same date as the end of the color treatment date.
 The sheet labelled “Exp 2 – Research Data” has the following columns. Note
 that the color calculations described below are calculated using the raw
 data found in the excel file “DRYAD – Green Lynx Raw Spectral Data” A)   
 Spider ID: Used as an identifier for each spider in Experiment 2. These
 numbers are arbitrary and are assigned during collection, before spiders
 are entered into an experiment. B)    Treatment Color: The color treatment
 the spider was assigned to at the beginning of the experiment. C)   
 Carapace Width (mm): Measurement value, in millimeters, of the carapace of
 each spider. D)    Day 0 Abdominal Area (mm^2): Abdominal area value,
 measured in millimeters squared, of the spider at the start of Experiment
 2 (Day 0). E)     Day 16 Abdominal Area (mm^2): Abdominal area value,
 measured in millimeters squared, of the spider at the end of Experiment 2
 (Day 16). F)     Day 0 Body Condition: Value calculated by taking the
 regression of the carapace width (mm) and the abdominal area (mm^2) at the
 start of Experiment 2 (Day 0). G)    Day 16 Body Condition: Value
 calculated by taking the regression of the carapace width (mm) and the
 abdominal area (mm^2) at the end of Experiment 2 (Day 16). H)    Day 0
 Carapace Brightness: The mean reflectance of the carapace across the
 visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the start of the color
 treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. I)      Day 0 Carapace Green Chroma:
 This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the
 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value
 (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the start of the
 color treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. J)      Day 0 Carapace Red
 Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral values
 within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the total
 brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at
 the start of the color treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. K)    Day 16
 Carapace Brightness: The mean reflectance of the carapace across the
 visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the end of the color
 treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. L)     Day 16 Carapace Green Chroma:
 This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the
 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value
 (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the
 color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. M)   Day 16 Carapace Red Chroma:
 This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the
 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value
 (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the end of the
 color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. N)    Day 0 Dorsal Abdomen
 Brightness: The mean reflectance of the dorsal abdomen across the visible
 spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the start of the color treatment
 (Day 0) in Experiment 2. O)    Day 0 Dorsal Abdomen Green Chroma: This
 value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral values within the
 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by the total brightness value
 (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at the start of the
 color treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. P)     Day 0 Dorsal Abdomen Red
 Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral values
 within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the total
 brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at
 the start of the color treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. Q)    Day 16
 Dorsal Abdomen Brightness: The mean reflectance of the dorsal abdomen
 across the visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the end of the
 color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. R)    Day 16 Dorsal Abdomen
 Green Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral
 values within the 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by the total
 brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at
 the end of the color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. S)     Day 16
 Dorsal Abdomen Red Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of
 spectral values within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the
 total brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value
 is at the end of the color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. T)     Day
 0 Lateral Abdomen Brightness: The mean reflectance of the lateral abdomen
 across the visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the start of
 the color treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. U)    Day 0 Lateral Abdomen
 Green Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral
 values within the 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by the total
 brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at
 the start of the color treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. V)    Day 0
 Lateral Abdomen Red Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of
 spectral values within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the
 total brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value
 is at the start of the color treatment (Day 0) in Experiment 2. W)   Day
 16 Lateral Abdomen Brightness: The mean reflectance of the lateral abdomen
 across the visible spectrum of 280-700 nm. This value is at the end of the
 color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. X)    Day 16 Lateral Abdomen
 Green Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of spectral
 values within the 500-600 nm (“green”) range and dividing it by the total
 brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value is at
 the end of the color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. Y)    Day 16
 Lateral Abdomen Red Chroma: This value is calculated by taking the sum of
 spectral values within the 660-700 nm (“red”) range and dividing it by the
 total brightness value (total of the values from 280-700 nm). This value
 is at the end of the color treatment (Day 16) in Experiment 2. 2.      The
 excel file, **DRYAD – Green Lynx Raw Spectral Data** contains 12 sheets in
 total with six sheets for Experiment 1 (yellow marked tabs) and six sheets
 for Experiment 2 (green marked tabs). Each sheet is titled with the
 Experiment number (1 or 2), the day that the measurement data were taken
 (between 0 and 45 for Experiment 1; between 0 and 16 for Experiment 2),
 and the location on the spider where the spectral reading was taken
 (carapace, dorsal abdomen, lateral abdomen). Within each sheet, Colum A
 contains wavelengths (280-700nm), and each of the subsequent columns have
 spectral reflectance data (% reflectance relative to white standard)
 corresponding to those wavelengths for individual spiders. Each column is
 labelled with an individual spider ID number (see row 1). 3.      The
 excel file, **DRYAD – Background Paper and Flower Spectral Data** contains
 1 sheet in total. The first column indicates the wavelength (nm), and each
 subsequent column contains spectral data with spectral reflectance data (%
 reflectance relative to a white standard). Each column is labelled with
 either a background paper color (green paper, orange paper, purple paper,
 red paper) or artificial flower color (green flower, orange, flower,
 purple flower). This data was used to generate “Supplementary Figure 1”
 found in the supplementary materials.  The following columns are found
 within the excel file: A)    Wavelength (nanometers): this column
 indicates the wavelengths that range from 280-700 nm. B)    Green Paper:
 this column contains reflectance values that corresponds to the wavelength
 range of 280-700 nm found in Column A for the green paper. C)    Orange
 Paper: this column contains reflectance values that corresponds to the
 wavelength range of 280-700 nm found in Column A for the orange paper.
 D)    Purple Paper: this column contains reflectance values that
 corresponds to the wavelength range of 280-700 nm found in Column A for
 the purple paper. E)     Red Paper: this column contains reflectance
 values that corresponds to the wavelength range of 280-700 nm found in
 Column A for the red paper. F)     Green Flower: this column contains
 reflectance values that corresponds to the wavelength range of 280-700 nm
 found in Column A for green flowers. G)    Orange Flower: this column
 contains reflectance values that corresponds to the wavelength range of
 280-700 nm found in Column A for orange flowers. H)    Purple Flower: this
 column contains reflectance values that corresponds to the wavelength
 range of 280-700 nm found in Column A for purple flowers.