MALE AND FEMALE STRIDULATION IN AN INDIAN WETA (ORTHOPTERA: ANOSTOSTOMATIDAE)

Abstract

ABSTRACT We present the first description of the calls and stridulatory structures of males and females of an Indian weta species from the Western Ghats of Southern India. Calls of males and females produced by femoro-abdominal stridulation were recorded and call features such as chirp duration, chirp period, syllable period and syllable duration were characterised. The calls of males were highly stereotyped with regular chirp periods and durations whereas chirp rates in the female calls were more variable. The number of syllables per chirp was constant for males and females and the fine temporal features such as syllable periods and syllable durations showed low inter-individual variation in both males and females. The arrangement of femoral stridulatory structures was different from the previously described anostostomatid species. The high stereotypy of calls of males and females indicates that the signal could serve for identification of species and sex.