SEXUAL SIGNALING IN PERIODICAL CICADAS, MAGICICADA SPP. (HEMIPTERA: CICADIDAE) by JOHN R. COOLEY1,2) and DAVID C. MARSHALL1,3) (Department of Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079) (Acc. 4-VI-2001) Summary Periodical cicada (Magicicada spp.) sexual pair formation takes place in dense aggregations and involves intense male-male competition for limited mating opportunities. Pair-forming behavior in these species has been poorly understood because of limited knowledge of sexual communication. We have found that sexually receptive female Magicicada ick their wings in timed response to an individual chorusing male; this previously unrecognized female response is hereafter referred to as a ‘wing- ick’ signal. We document the nature, timing, and species-speci city of this signal as well as its absence in both immature and mated females. We also document changes in male chorusing and searching behavior in response to wing- ick signals and male responses to the signals’ visual and acoustical components. We test the hypothesis that female sensory psychology has shaped the evolution of -decim calls by 1) Current address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, Storrs CT 06269-3043. 2) Corresponding author; e-mail address:
[email protected] 3) We thank R.D. Alexander, T.E. Moore, D. Otte, C. Simon, K. Wells, and two anonymous reviewers for helpful discussion and comments. Thanks also to the Alum Springs Young Life Camp, Rockbridge County, VA; Horsepen Lake State Wildlife Management Area, Buckingham County, VA; Siloam Springs State Park, Brown and Adams Counties, IL; Harold E.