Vibrational Communication in Two Sympatric Species of Mantophasmatodea (Heelwalkers)

Abstract

The communication via percussion of the abdomen on the substrate for species recognition and mate location of males and females of two sympatric species of the recently described insect order Mantophasmatodea (Heelwalkers) was investigated. Each sex produced a single and distinctive call. The female call consisted of repeated single pulses, whereas the more complex male call comprised repeated pulse trains. The calls of males and females of the two species were of similar general structure, but differed in most temporal characters such as pulse and pulse train repetition time. In behavioral playback experiments females reacted to the call of conspecific males by calling and decreasing locomotion. When stimulated with the call of the heterospecific, sympatric male, females showed no reaction. Males exhibited abdominal rubbing, high tapping rates, increased activity (both movement and active searching) as well as characteristic searching behavior at branch nodes, when presented with the conspecific female call. Being stimulated with the playback of the heterospecific female call and the conspecific male call respectively, males responded with less intense locomotor and searching behavior. The drumming behavior in the control situation (no playback) suggests that males sometimes call in the absence of other individuals.