Calling Song Research Articles

A new cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) species from Brazil with a detailed description of the genus Parnisa Stål, 1862 and key to the known species

The new cicada species Parnisa infuscata sp. nov. is described, along with its calling song, from Minas Gerais State in Brazil. The genus Parnisa Stål, 1862 is redescribed to provide additional details on its morphology since the abbreviated original generic description was based only on a few wing characters. A key for the 14 known species of the genus is provided.

A new species of Meadow Katydid (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalini) from the Apalachicola River Basin of Florida, USA

Odontoxiphidium apalachicolae, sp. nov., is described from seasonally flooded savannah habitats of the Central Panhandle of Florida. The new species differs from the only other member of the genus, O. apterum Morse, in morphology, coloration, calling song, and habitat. Color variation in O. apterum is also discussed. The new species appears to be a member of a unique insect fauna that is endemic to the Apalachicola River Basin, a well-known refugium and center for speciation in vascular plants. Continued exploration of this area is needed to fully document arthropod diversity in the region.

Studies on Neotropical Pseudophyllinae: Integrative description of Dentotibium gen. nov., and of a toothed foretibia katydid (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) that sings from burrows in branches

Herein, we describe the genus Dentotibiumgen. nov. and the species D. ramucantorissp. nov, a toothed foretibia katydid within the subfamily Pseudophyllinae from Colombia. This new katydid is a forest dweller inhabiting oak woodlands between 1600 and 2300 m above sea level, only found in the western slopes of the Eastern Andes of Boyacá Department, Colombia. This new species burrows in woody branches and shows big heads in both sexes. The appearance of Dentotibiumgen. nov. is similar to that of Trichotettix Stål, 1873 but differs in having tubercles over the dorsal margin of the foretibiae. It is also close to Nastonotus Bolívar, 1890, but differs from in lacking the three black stripes in the vertex and having a less marked frontal suture and smoother face. Males sing all night long, and their calling song consists of periodic syllables with three differentiable phases. Seasonal calling activity lowers remarkably during the dry season (Jun–Aug). DNA barcoding sequences for the paratypes made available in a previous study are included here.

Temperature effects on interspecific eavesdropping in the wild

Abstract Mating signals are targets of conspecific signal recognition and sexual selection, but are also subject to abiotic temperature effects and to biotic interspecific eavesdroppers. In crickets, the male calling song becomes faster at warmer temperatures, and female crickets’ recognition of male song tracks temperature in a coordinated manner, termed ‘temperature coupling.’ But female crickets are not the only ecologically relevant listeners: some cricket species are parasitized by Ormia ochracea, a parasitoid fly which finds its cricket hosts by eavesdropping on male cricket song. How temperature affects parasitoid fly phonotaxis to song is largely unexplored, with only one previous study conducted under field conditions. Here we explore six possible patterns of thermal effects on fly responses to cricket song, including temperature coupling, using field playbacks of synthetic Gryllus lineaticeps songs designed to be species-typical at various temperatures. We find that temperature does affect fly response, but that the temperature deviation of songs from ambient does not impact numbers of flies caught. We extend this finding by comparing the temperatures of the air (where flies search for their hosts) and the ground (where their host crickets signal) to show that temperature coupling is unlikely to be effective given microhabitat variation and differential rates of cooling in the evening hours when flies are most active. Our results can be interpreted more broadly to suggest (i) temperature effects on intraspecific communication systems may be more tightly coupled than are effects on interspecific eavesdropping, and (ii) variation in thermal microhabitats in the field make it difficult to translate laboratory physiological responses to natural selection in the wild.

Mating behavior and three types of mating songs of the sandy beach-dwelling ground cricket Dianemobius csikii (Grylloidea, Trigonidiidae, Nemobiinae)

This study aimed to investigate the mating behavior of the sandy beach-dwelling ground cricket, Dianemobius csikii (Bolívar, 1901) (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Trigonidiidae, Nemobiinae). The calling songs of males were recorded, and the temporal structures of the songs were analyzed. Subsequently, the courtship song and mating behavior of cricket pairs were observed. The calling song consisted only of monotonous chirps, while the courtship song consisted of similar chirps and ticks consisting of a single pulse. Dianemobius csikii exhibited a relatively longer courtship duration than other cricket species. The female stayed with the male for approximately 25 min while the male emitted the courtship song. The male then changed to the trill song, which is a continuous song, just before copulation. Copulation occurred within 10–40 s of the male emitting the trill song. The courtship behavior differs from that of other well-studied cricket species, such as Gryllinae. The findings of this study provide insight into the mating behaviors of crickets.

New species, locality records and calling songs of crickets of the subfamily Phaloriinae (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae) from Malaysia

Specimens representing three genera of Phaloriinae—Borneloria Gorochov, 2018, Phaloria (Papuloria) Gorochov, 1996 and Trellius (Zatrellius) Gorochov, 1999—were collected from Peninsular and East Malaysia and examined here. We report a new locality record for Borneloria moorei (Chopard, 1940) in Johor, Peninsular Malaysia, the first record of this genus in Malay Peninsula. From Sandakan, East Malaysia, we discovered a new species of Trellius (Zatrellius) and describe here: Trellius (Zatrellius) puntung sp. nov. We also recorded the previously unknown calling songs of Phaloria (Papuloria) tristis Gorochov, 2014 and Trellius (Zatrellius) puntung sp. nov. and describe them here.

Oecanthus buxixu sp. nov. (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Oecanthidae): A new species of tree cricket from Brazilian Amazon rainforest

The Tree Crickets of the genus Oecanthus Serville, 1831 are distributed across tropical and temperate regions, where they can be found in all strata of vegetation. In this work, we describe a new species of tree cricket from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, where only one species was known until the date of this publication. This new species differs from the other 79 species in this genus by the absence of marks on the scape and pedicel of the antennae, as well as by its calling song composed of 3 to 5 chirps/s, 6 to 20 pulses per chirp, and peak frequency 3 to 3.3 kHz, at 26ºC. Photos in vivo of the individuals, as well as images of the metanotal glands and phallic sclerites, are provided.

The impact of geographic isolation and host shifts on population divergence of the rare cicada Subpsaltria yangi

The contributions of divergent selection and spatial isolation to population divergence are among the main focuses of evolutionary biology. Here we employed integrated methods to explore genomic divergence, demographic history and calling-song differentiation in the cicada Subpsaltria yangi, and compared the genotype and calling-song phenotype of different populations occurring in distinct habitats. Our results indicate that this species comprises four main lineages with unique sets of haplotypes and calling-song structure, which are distinctly associated with geographic isolation and habitats. The populations occurring on the Loess Plateau underwent substantial expansion at ∼0.130–0.115 Ma during the Last Interglacial. Geographic distance and host shift between pairs of populations predict genomic divergence, with geographic distance and acoustical signal together explaining > 60% of the divergence among populations. Differences in calling songs could reflect adaptation of populations to novel environments with different host plants, habitats and predators, which may have resulted from neutral divergence at the molecular level followed by natural selection. Geomorphic barriers and climate oscillations associated with Pleistocene glaciation may have been primary factors in shaping the population genetic structure of this species. Ultimately this may couple with a host shift in leading toward allopatric speciation in S. yangi, i.e., isolation by distance. Our findings improve understanding of divergence in allopatry of herbivorous insects, and may inform future studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between genetic/phenotypic changes and adaptation of insects to novel niches and host plants.

A new species of Ducetia (Tettigoniidae, Phaneropterinae) from Mindanao, Philippines based on bioacoustics, stridulatory file morphology and genetic data

The Ducetia japonica species group consists of 11 species widely distributed in Asia and Australia. It includes a single species from the Philippines: Ducetia adspersa Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878. Previously synonymized under Ducetia japonica (Thunberg, 1815), this species was resurrected for its unique stridulatory file. Based on its distinct stridulatory file morphology, male calling song and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I signature, we discovered and describe here a new species from Mindanao in the south of the Philippines: Ducetia laniae sp. nov. We also describe the calling song of this new species. This discovery underscores the rich biodiversity of the region and highlights the necessity for continued exploration and study to unravel the complexities within this genus.

House cricket males reared at different perceived acoustic population densities differ in adult behaviour but not physiology

Abstract If environments stay relatively constant over an individual's lifetime, a juvenile that accurately perceives environmental conditions, like population density, may adjust adult traits to better match their environment, thereby increasing success. While previous studies have explored how adult exposure to population density affects physiological and behavioural plasticity, the influence of juvenile density experience on adult traits is less studied. Using the common house cricket, Acheta domesticus, we explored whether perceived acoustic population density during development affected adult physiology and behaviour. We simulated high‐ and low‐densities using live ambient male song. Upon maturation, we measured metabolic (resting respiration) rate, reproductive investment (testes and accessory gland masses), calling song characteristics and aggressive behaviours from pairwise contests between males from different densities. Male rearing density did not affect resting metabolic rates or reproductive organ masses. However, high‐density males had significantly faster, longer chirps, with more pulses—known to be preferred by females—and higher dominant frequency. Low‐density males won more aggressive contests and sang the aggressive song more. Initiation of aggressive behaviours or song and singing more aggressive song were the only other significant predictors of contest outcome. These results suggest that males may plastically adjust calling song characteristics and aggressive behaviour, but not physiology, based on perceived density during development. We hypothesize that alternative mating tactics—that is, territory guarding versus attractive song production—may underlie these observed patterns. Overall, our study highlights the significant influence of early‐life biotic environments on adult behavioural decisions to enhance success in diverse environments.

Clarification of taxonomic status of Pseudochorthippus geminus (Mistshenko, 1951) (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) based on male calling song analysis

Pseudochorthippus geminus is redescribed and illustrated based on specimens from southern Kazakhstan and northern Kyrgyzstan. Oscillograms of the male calling songs of P. geminus from these localities and of P. parallelus from southern Kazakhstan are given. Comparative analysis of the song temporal patterns of P. geminus and P. parallelus clearly indicates that they represent separate biological species, but the morphological differences between them are indistinct and do not always provide reliable characters for species diagnostics.

New data on bioacoustics and courtship behaviour in grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Gomphocerinae) from Russia and adjacent countries.

The songs of seven grasshopper species of subfamily Gomphocerinae from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Kazakhstan were studied. We analysed not only the sound, but also the stridulatory movements of the hind legs to more entirely describe the songs. In Mesasippuskozhevnikovi, Chorthippusmacrocerus, and C.hammarstroemi, the legs are moved in a relatively simple pattern; four other species, Myrmeleotettixpalpalis, Stenobothrusnewskii, C.pullus, and Megaulacobothrusaethalinus demonstrate more complex leg movements. In six of the seven species studied, the courtship songs contain more sound elements than the calling songs. The highest number of courtship sound elements was found in M.palpalis and M.aethalinus. The different parts of a remarkably long stridulatory file in M.aethalinus are thought to participate in the production of different sound elements. The songs in S.newskii are shown for the first time. This species produces sound not only by common stridulation but also by wing beats. A relationship of S.newskii to some other species of the genus Stenobothrus, which are able to crepitate, is discussed. We also analyse the frequency spectra of the songs. A maximum energy of the song power spectra in six species studied lies in ultrasound range (higher than 20 kHz). In only M.aethalinus, the main peaks in the song power spectra lie lower than 20 kHz. The courtship behaviour in M.palpalis, C.macrocerus, and C.hammarstroemi was shown to include conspicuous visual display (movements of antennae, palps and the whole body).

A new species of Conocephalus (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) from Argentina with extraordinarily broad-band ultrasound calling song

Conocephalus tuyu sp. nov. belonging to Xenocerculus subgen. nov., is described from grassland among the sand dunes of the Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires Province. The unique species can be recognized by its extremely short wings, the reddish brown dorsal band, and the curious male cerci with a very long, inward-pointing spine at the tip. The entirely ultrasound calling song of the male shows an extraordinarily broad spectrum reaching 90 kHz. Ecology and possible distribution are discussed.

The tanan [Chlorocoelus hypericifolius (Stoll 1813): Orthoptera, Tettigonioidea, Pseudophyllinae]re-discovered more than 150 years after the description of the male by Bates and the figuring by Darwin.

In his famous book, The descent of man and selection in relation to sex, Darwin (1871) described the male secondary sexual characters of Orthoptera in some detail. As the most prominent example, he presented a figure of a South American bush-cricket species. It had been described a few years before by Bates and was called, onomatopoetically, Chlorocoelus tanana. Surprisingly, the fascinating species has never been found since this time, although in old collections some additional specimens were located. Based on recently collected material and information on the internet, we clarify the taxonomy of the species and give details of the male stridulatory organ and its distribution. The peak frequency (2.1 kHz) of its resonant disturbance sounds indicates that also calling song may have an unusually low carrier frequency similar to other large bush-crickets with extraordinarily inflated tegmina.

New species of Itara (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Itarinae) and descriptions of calling songs from Mindanao and Sabah.

A new species of Itara (Phormincter) is described from Mindanao in the Philippines: Itara (Phormincter) mindanao Tan, Grumo, Gono & Bahoy, sp. nov. This represents the first record of this subgenus in the Philippines, having previously known only from Borneo, Java, Malay Peninsula and Sumatra; as well as only the second species of Itara known from the Philippines and the first from Mindanao Island. The male calling song of the holotype was also recorded and is described here. Additionally, the male calling song of another congener, Itara (Singitara) singularis Gorochov, 1997 from Sabah, is described here. A new species of Itara (Bornitara) is also described from Sabah in Borneo: Itara (Bornitara) tenompok Tan, Japir & Chung, sp. nov.

Monoaminergic Systems in Flight-Induced Potentiation of Phonotactic Behavior in Female Crickets Gryllus bimaculatus.

We have recently shown that experience of flight remarkably enhanced subsequent terrestrial phonotaxis in females in response to the male calling song. Here, we elucidated the possible roles of octopamine and serotonin in the enhancing effect of flying on phonotactic behavior. Octopamine is known to be released into the hemolymph during flight in insects; however, the octopamine receptor antagonist epinastine did not abolish the effects of flight in our study. On the contrary, the drug significantly potentiated the influence of flying on phonotactic behavior. The octopamine receptor agonist chlordimeform, at a concentration of 2 mM, which was previously found to activate aggression in crickets, dramatically reduced the phonotactic response. However, at a 10-times-lower dose, chlordimeform produced a light but significant decrease in the time that females took to reach the source of the calling song. A similar effect was produced by octopamine itself, which hardly passes the blood-brain barrier in insects. The effect of flight was completely abolished in female crickets treated with alpha-methyl tryptophan (AMTP). AMPT suppresses the synthesis of serotonin, decreasing its content in the nervous systems of insects, including crickets. An activation of the serotonin synthesis with 5-hydroxytryptophan mimicked the effect of flight by increasing the number of visits to and the time spent in the zone near the source of the calling song. The 5-HT content in the third thoracic ganglion was significantly higher in flyers compared to the control group. In contrast, no changes in the octopamine level were observed in the third thoracic ganglion, which is known to play a crucial role in decision-making involved in intraspecific interactions. Therefore, the results suggest that although octopamine is known to be released into the hemolymph during flight, it is likely to inhibit rather than activate the central mechanisms related to phonotaxis. The weak facilitating effect of a low dose of chlordimeform can be attributed to the activation of peripheral octopaminergic receptors. Our results suggest that the serotoninergic system may contribute to the facilitation of female phonotactic behavior by flying. We suggest that both flying and serotonin enhance sexual motivation in females and, by these means, impact their behavioral response to the male calling song.

Parasitoid flies (Diptera, Tachinidae) in true crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea): New host records from Brazil, identification key to parasitoids, and revision of host-parasitoid interactions

True crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea) are often parasitized by tachinid flies (Diptera, Tachinidae). However, the diversity of these parasitoids and their oviposition strategies remain unclear. Although some flies are specialized in locating crickets by their calling songs, such as the phonotactic fly Ormia ochracea (Bigot, 1889), a large portion of the tachinids that attack true crickets show different host search strategies and are adapted to parasitize other orthopteroid insects as well. However, these parasitoids have a complex and challenging taxonomy that precludes further improvement in the understanding of Tachinidae-Orthoptera interactions. Here, we described and illustrated seven new host records in Gryllidae and Phalangopsidae species from Brazil, including notes on the diagnostic characters of each parasitoid and host. An illustrated identification key to Tachinidae genera recorded in Grylloidea is also provided. Finally, all published records of Tachinidae parasitism in true crickets were revised and are presented in an annotated catalog in order to understand the host range and different oviposition strategies of each parasitoid lineage.

Drymadusini katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Tettigoniinae): intraspecific variabilitymorphs or subspecies?

A new subspecies of Lithoxenus haptapotamicus minutus Korsunovskaya subsp. nov. and new color form of Eulithoxenus mongolicus caeruleum are described. Data concerning the male calling song of L. miramae (Velt.) and the structure of the sound apparatus of Eulithoxenus mongolicus Uv.and L. miramae is provided for the first time.

Flying singers: spatio-temporal distribution and acoustic dynamics of two species of Carinetini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) cicadas in sympatry

Abstract The natural history of Neotropical cicadas is poorly understood. Here, we describe comparatively the spatio-temporal distribution and acoustic dynamics of two Carinetini cicadas in sympatry: colourful-cicada, Carineta diardi, and eryngo-cicada, Guaranisaria llanoi. Males of both species emit conspicuous acoustic signals during flight, a rare behaviour in cicadas. Although sympatric and synchronic, these species are not syntopic, occurring in different habitats: colourful-cicada occurs in Atlantic Forest and eryngo-cicada in native Pampean grasslands. Vertical stratification also occurs: colourful-cicada flies, sings, and copulates along the forest edge and canopy (above 2 m), while eryngo-cicada flies, sings, and copulates only in open areas (below 1 m), performing directional flights between the ‘Gravatá’ eryngo patches—a keystone plant species used as shelter, and calling and reproduction site. Acoustic repertoires vary between species: colourful-cicada presents two types of signals (flying and calling songs) and eryngo-cicada has four types (flying, calling, courtship, and wing-flicks emitted by the females). Furthermore, acoustic differences between species were found in the flying songs, but no specific differences were found in the peak frequency of their calling songs. These results show that spatial use of ‘flying singer’ cicadas can vary in habitat, providing coexistence in sympatry.

A novel cricket morph has diverged in song and wing morphology across island populations.

Divergence of sexual signals between populations can lead to speciation, yet opportunities to study the immediate aftermath of novel signal evolution are rare. The recent emergence and spread of a new mating song, purring, in Hawaiian populations of the Pacific field cricket (Teleogryllus oceanicus) allows us to investigate population divergence soon after the origin of a new signal. Male crickets produce songs with specialized wing structures to attract mates from afar (calling) and entice them to mate when found (courtship). However, in Hawaii, these songs also attract an eavesdropping parasitoid fly (Ormia ochracea) that kills singing males. The novel purring song, produced with heavily modified wing morphology, attracts female crickets but not the parasitoid fly, acting as a solution to this conflict between natural and sexual selection. We've recently observed increasing numbers of purring males across Hawaii. In this integrative field study, we investigated the distribution of purring and the proportion of purring males relative to other morphs in six populations on four islands and compared a suite of phenotypic traits (wing morphology, calling song and courtship song) that make up this novel signal across populations of purring males. We show that purring is found in varying proportions across five, and is locally dominant in four, Hawaiian populations. We also show that calling songs, courtship songs and wing morphology of purring males differ geographically. Our findings demonstrate the rapid pace of evolution in island populations and provide insights into the emergence and divergence of new sexual signals over time.