Central mechanism of hearing and sound localization in insects

Abstract

The central auditory neural network was electrophysiologically examined in nine species belonging to the Tettigoniidae, Gryllidae, and Acridiidae, and it was found that the central mechanism of hearing was different from family to family and even in the same family. In Tettigoniidae, the T large fibre was commonly found but not the inhibitory neural network. The T large fibres of Gampsocleis buergeri with the inhibitory neural network showed a marked ability for sound localization, but those of Mecopoda elongata without it did not. The inhibitory interaction made the intensity and time differences large and accentuated sound localization.