Change in the character of directional motor reactions of female crickets Gryllus argetinus Sauss. to intraspecies signals under conditions of sensory pathology at different stages of imaginal ontogenesis

Abstract

The character of motor activity of female crickets Gryllus argentinus Sauss. was studied in norm and under conditions of inactivation of cercal organ at realization of reproductive and protective behavior at various steps of adult ontogenesis (at the 2nd, 7th, and 12th day). There are described and analyzed various forms of female motor reactions on a movable track-ball at presentation f models of male intraspecies call and aggressive signals. The reversible inactivation or cereal receptors was shown to lead to disturbance of mechanisms of realization of normal reproductive behavior in the end of prereproductive and in the beginning of reproductive periods of adult ontogenesis. This is manifested as a significant decrease of reactions of positive phonotaxis in response to presentation of model of the male call signal in individuals with experimental sensory pathology as compared with the control cricket group (norm). No significant differences in portions of typical directed motor reactions were established in norm and under conditions of sensory pathology at presentation of aggressive signal. Thus, we have managed to show that preservation of tympanal organ is the necessary, but not sufficient condition of realization of adequate acoustic reproductive behavior. Only by working together, the distant mechanoreceptor systems (the cereal and the tympanal ones) are able to provide adequate behavior. This confirmed to earlier put forward hypothesis about interaction of distant mechanoreceptor systems and about the existence of the single sensory complex necessary for realization of insect adequate behavior.