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Sensitivity of substrate vibrations in the cicada Tettigetta josei (Homoptera, Cicadoidea)
... In addition to air-born sounds, cicadas also detect substrate vibrations mostly Chapter No.: 7 Date: 9-08-2013 Page: 11/21 11 7 Cicada Acoustic Communication via subgenual organs since afferent activity is mainly found in the leg's nerve. Interneurons tuned to different frequencies within 20-1,000 Hz with sensitivities ranging from 0.02 to 0.3 ms −2 (Fig. 7.5) have been described (Fonseca and Santos 2001) some of which were activated by vibrations induced in a plant during a cicada landing or takeoff. In small-sized cicadas, like T. josei, males move around with short flights intercalated by short calling sequences ("sing-fly" behaviour) and females wait deeply within the vegetation until a male lands and sings close by and, only then signal e.g. by wing flicking (e.g. ...
Cicadas are iconic insects that use conspicuously loud and often complexly structured stereotyped sound signals for mate attraction. Focusing on acoustic communication, we review the current data to address two major questions: How do males generate specific and intense acoustic signals and how is phonotactic orientation achieved? We first explain the structure of the sound producing apparatus, how the sound is produced and modulated and how the song pattern is generated. We then describe the organisation and the sensitivity of the auditory system. We will highlight the capabilities of the hearing system in frequency and time domains, and deal with the directionality of hearing, which provides the basis for phonotactic orientation. Finally, we focus on behavioural studies and what they have taught us about signal recognition.
Pair formation in moths typically involves pheromones, but some pyraloid and noctuoid species use sound in mating communication. The signals are generally ultrasound, broadcast by males, and function in courtship. Long-range advertisement songs also occur which exhibit high convergence with communication in other acoustic species such as orthopterans and anurans. Tympanal hearing with sensitivity to ultrasound in the context of bat avoidance behavior is widespread in the Lepidoptera, and phylogenetic inference indicates that such perception preceded the evolution of song. This sequence suggests that male song originated via the sensory bias mechanism, but the trajectory by which ancestral defensive behavior in females – negative responses to bat echolocation signals – may have evolved toward positive responses to male song remains unclear. Analyses of various species offer some insight to this improbable transition, and to the general process by which signals may evolve via the sensory bias mechanism.
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