Vibrational Communication: Spiders to Kangaroo Rats

Abstract

An amazing variety of animals communicate by vibrational signals. The behavior is common, diverse and occurs in multiple taxa ranging from spiders and insects to rodents and elephants. Production of vibrations is a mechanical event of stomping, tapping, drumming, rubbing surfaces together (stridulation) and trembling the body (trembulation) to transmit both airborne and seismic signals. Ground-borne vibrations are transmit through a diversity of substrates, including soil, rocks, leaf litter and plant stems and leaves. Receptors for the signals consist of ears and mechanoreceptors in mammals and specialized structures in arthropods. Mate attraction is an important function of substrate-borne vibrations, which are often combined with visual displays in multimodal courtship displays. In spiders substrate-borne vibrations function as sexually selected signals of fitness. Besides attracting mates, insects use vibrations to communicate between parent and offspring, members of the social group, food recruitment and in predator defense. Substrate-borne vibrations also are important in predator–prey interactions. Footdrumming as a communication system is the most developed in territorial kangaroo rats (Dipodomys). The species specific drumming patterns can be complex, and the bannertailed kangaroo rat (D. spectabilis) drums individually distinct footdrumming signatures to communicate territorial ownership. Kangaroo rats also drum during competitive interactions and courtship. In the presence of snakes the kangaroo rats footdrum in individual defense to inform the snake the kangaroo rat is aware and will no longer be easy prey.