Acoustic signalling in Orthoptera

Abstract

Acoustic communication is one of the most well-known behavioural traits of the Orthoptera. Orthopteran insects and the sounds they produce are both extremely diverse, and speciesspecific sounds are an extremely important tool in orthopteran taxonomy and systematics. For most species, acoustic signalling is the most important means of communication. It plays a vital role in mating, mate choice, intrasexual competition, interspecific interactions with predators and parasitoids, and the divergence of populations and species. The enormous diversity of the orthopterans has provided researchers with a wealth of model systems for studying anatomy, physiology, neurobiology, bioacoustics, communication, life-history traits, behaviour, evolutionary ecology, and speciation, all areas in which acoustic communication is important. We first reviewed orthopteran sound signalling nearly 20 years ago (Robinson and Hall, 2002), since when there has been an enormous amount of further work. This second review will look mainly at research published since that first review.

Quantitative trait loci underlying a speciation phenotype

“…In contrast to visual and chemical signals discussed above, acoustic signals are often generated by neuromuscular behaviours with less clearly defined biochemical or genetic pathways. Perhaps for this reason, causal loci underlying natural genetic variation in insect song remain largely unknown, despite a wealth of knowledge about the role of song in ecology, evolution and speciation (e.g., Greenfield, 2016; Hall & Robinson, 2021; Schöneich, 2020). The recent discovery of an ion channel mutation causing natural variation in Drosophila song is a singular exception (Ding et al, 2016).…”

Are all auditory sensilla of bushcrickets bimodal? Comment on: R. D. Zhantiev and O. S. Korsunovskaya, Functions of chordotonal sensilla in bushcrickets (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae); Entomological Review, 2021, vol. 101 (6), pp. 755–766

“…Likely, every animal is able to feel substrate vibrations in some way and many can hear sounds in addition. The reliance on substrate‐borne vibrations and airborne sound is of particular importance and hence, especially well investigated in insects, with the Orthoptera (such as crickets and bushcrickets) being one of the main study models (reviewed in Hall & Robinson, 2021; Strauß et al, 2021).…”

Geographic differentiation in male calling song of Isophya modestior (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Phaneropterinae)

“…Bioacoustic communication is one of the main characteristics of mating systems among Orthoptera (Hall and Robinson 2021). In general, male orthopterans produce a calling song and, in some groups, females respond acoustically to the male (Heller and von Helversen 1986;Heller et al 2018).…”