Abstract
Abstract. The bush crickets Platycleis albopunctata (Goeze) and Metriop‐tera roeselii (Hagenbach) interact acoustically in the laboratory. The interaction is principally one‐way, resulting in modification of the song pattern of P. albopunctata or its inhibition. Similarity of the frequency spectra of songs of both species is one of the principal reasons for reactivity. Nymphal male P. albopunctata individuals are randomly distributed in dense Brachypodium pinnatum L. grasslands. Adult males become regularly spaced with the onset of singing activity. Acoustic behaviour is the most likely mechanism maintaining regular spacing within the male P.albopunctata population. In many localities juvenile P. albopunctata and M. roeselii are sympatric, occurring together in the same vegetation. With the onset of singing activity by the adult males the two species separate though there is no detectable difference in habitat preference. The separation is effected by a negative phonotactic response by P. albopunctata to the song of M. roeselii. It is suggested that this response is derived from behaviour patterns that result in ‘territorial’ spacing within the P. albopunctata (male) population. This behaviour prevents the occurrence of song modification in the field but also excludes P. albopunctata from areas of suitable habitat where the population density of M. roeselii is high.
Published Version
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