Conspecific Male Song Research Articles

Species and sex-specific songs and courtship behaviour in the genus Zaprionus (Diptera-Drosophilidae)

Courtship behaviour and songs of six Zaprionus species show differences not only between species but also between sexes. Courtship behaviour differs from that in the related genus Drosophila. In most species, males produce two song types which may alternate or be repeated. Singing occurs during courtship displays, mounting, after copulation and briefly during male-to-male interactions. Females produce a loud whine and body rocking movements in refusal but have a species-specific pulsed song produced during normal courtship which differs from the conspecific male song. One species produces an irregular male song but a regular female song. Sex-specific songs may have selective advantages but pose problems for the sensory template hypothesis.

Species Specificity in the Phonotaxis of Female Ground Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Nemobiinae)1,2

In two-choice phonotactic experiments females of the sympatric species Allonemobius fasciatus, A. allardi , and A. tinnulus were preferentially attracted to the calling songs of conspecific males. In the absence of choice, however, females of each species walked to a speaker playing a heterospecific calling song. Female response to calling song in these species is important in reproductive isolation, but it is not sufficient to prevent interspecific courtship and mating behavior in mixed species groups.

Ontogeny of phonotaxis in Orchelimum gladiator (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae)

The ontogeny of phonotaxis in female Orchelimum gladiator was monitored in a circular arena using attraction to tape-recorded conspecific male song as the response criterion. Parasite-free females became responsive on day 5 or 6 after the final molt. Response appeared to wane after the 9th day. Mating on the 15th day extinguished responsiveness. Nematomorph-parasitized females were generally less responsive to song and none mated even when placed with a male.