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Western Soundscapes: Spider Audio

Sounds from the Arizona Jumping Spider can now be heard, thanks to new technology.
Photo courtesy of www.bugsincyberspace.com.
Sounds from the Arizona Jumping Spider can now be heard, thanks to new technology.

By Jeff Rice

Salt Lake City, UT – Spiders are probably known more for creeping around silently than for their sounds. But new technology, such as laser Doppler vibrometers and high sensitivity microphones, reveal a complex world of spider acoustics. Researcher Damian Elias of the University of Toronto studies vibrational communication in Arizona Jumping Spiders, and other arachnids found in the southwest. He spoke with Jeff Rice for the Western Soundscapes radio series.

The Western Soundscapes radio series is funded in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and is produced in cooperation with the Western Soundscape Archive at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library.

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