Chapter 28: Sound communication in the sexual context of sand flies

Abstract

Acoustic signals are an important means of communication in many insect groups and are frequently involved in sexual behaviour, and are under sexual selection. Sand flies are among the insects in which sounds are produced by males during the copulatory courtship. Sand flies are vectors of leishmaniasis, and sound communication seems to be widespread within the taxa, with males from both New World and Old World species producing songs with the wings, mainly during copulation. In Lutzomyia longipalpis sensu lato, variation in copulatory courtship songs is one the main characters that shows the existence of a cryptic species complex in Brazil. Seven different patterns of songs have been identified so far, divided into three main types: burst-type, pulse-type and mix-type. These acoustic signals are important for reproductive success, affecting female insemination. In the presence of the homo-specific song, females are inseminated at a higher rate than with the hetero-specific song. Also, there is an interaction between the level of female acoustic discrimination, which depends on whether the female is blood fed. Possible perspectives in the field are discussed in the chapter.