A Behavioural Syndrome in the Field Cricket Gryllus Integer: Intrasexual Aggression Is Correlated with Activity in a Novel Envir

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

A Behavioural Syndrome in the Field Cricket Gryllus Integer: Intrasexual Aggression Is Correlated with Activity in a Novel Envir Blackwell Publishing LtdOxford, UKBIJBiological Journal of the Linnean Society0024-4066© 2007 The Linnean Society of London? 2007 91? 475482 Original Article BEHAVIOURAL SYNDROMES IN FIELD CRICKETS R. KORTET and A. HEDRICK Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 91, 475–482. With 5 figures A behavioural syndrome in the field cricket Gryllus integer: intrasexual aggression is correlated with activity in a novel environment RAINE KORTET1,2* and ANN HEDRICK3 1Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Team (Integrative Ecology Unit), Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65(Viikinkaari 1), FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland 2Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Oulu, PO Box 3000, 90014 University of Oulu, Finland 3Neurobiology, Physiology and Behaviour, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA Received 27 March 2006; accepted for publication 1 September 2006 Behavioural syndromes, or suites of correlated behaviours across different contexts and situations, have recently drawn attention from evolutionary biologists. In the field cricket Gryllus integer, males are aggressive with one another and fight vigorously over females and territories. We examined whether aggressiveness with other males was correlated with activity in a potentially dangerous context (a novel environment) in laboratory-raised virgin males. Aggressiveness was measured as fighting ability against a weight-matched opponent. First, we measured each cricket’s latency to become active in a novel environment and latency to emerge from a refuge within a novel environment. Next, we determined which of two weight-matched males was more aggressive, by pitting the males together in an agonistic contest and counting the number of fights won by each male. More aggressive males, who won more fights, had shorter latencies to become active when placed in a novel environment and shorter latencies to emerge from a safe refuge. These results suggest that a behavioural syndrome exists in G. integer, in which more aggressive males are also more active in general, and possibly less cautious towards predation risk. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 91, 475–482. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: antipredator behaviour – boldness – personality – intrasexual dominance. INTRODUCTION because of their ‘bold’ or incautious behaviour in the presence of predators (Hedrick & Riechert, 1989, Recent studies support the existence of behavioural 1990; Riechert & Hedrick, 1993). Aggressiveness syndromes, comprising suites of correlated behaviours towards conspecifics that is correlated with danger- across different situations or contexts (Hedrick, 2000; ously bold or noncautious behaviour under predation Gosling, 2001; Sih, Kats & Maurer, 2003; Sih et al., risk has been demonstrated in a number of species, 2004b; Sih, Bell & Johnson, 2004a; Carere & Eens, including stickleback fish (Huntingford, 1976, 1982; 2005). One of the most familiar behavioural syn- Bell, 2005) and fishing spiders (Johnson & Sih, 2005). dromes in animals is an aggressiveness/activity syn- The existence of behavioural syndromes may offer an drome, in which individuals behave more or less explanation for apparently ‘non-adaptive’ behaviour, aggressively/are more or less active across many con- such as sexual cannibalism, high levels of activity texts (Sih et al., 2004a,b). For example, in funnel-web under predation risk, and hyper-aggressiveness that spiders, some individuals are more aggressive with decreases mating success by startling or driving away conspecifics than others, attack prey more vigorously, potential mates (Sih et al, 2004a; Bell, 2005; Sih & and expose themselves to higher risk of predation Watters, 2005). Moreover, the persistence of behav- ioural ‘types’ within a species (e.g. ‘bold’ and ‘shy’ indi- *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].fi viduals) suggests that there can be more than one © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 91, 475–482 475 476 R. KORTET and A. HEDRICK general adaptive strategy for individuals within that MATERIAL AND METHODS species (Dall, 2004). For example, aggressive individ- uals that are incautious in terms of predation risk and CRICKETS less aggressive individuals that are cautious in terms The crickets used in this experiment were the first of predation risk may have similar fitnesses (Riechert laboratory generation derived from wild-caught & Hedrick, 1993; Dall, Houston & McNamara, 2004; G. integer females (August 2003) collected from Dingemanse et al., 2004). Davis, California. In this population, males call from In species with social dominance hierarchies, such cracks in the ground to attract sexually receptive as field crickets (Gryllus spp.), more aggressive males females, and females travel above ground to find achieve higher dominance status by winning fights males. Males sing at the entrance of the crack with (Alexander, 1961; Andersson, 1994; Berglund, Bis- their heads outside the crack entrance, but abruptly sazza & Pilastro, 1996; Rantala & Kortet, 2004). stop calling and run further into the crack if they Males fight for and defend territorial shelters and sense a predator approaching. Although they leave females (Alexander, 1961; Simmons, 1986a; Adamo & cracks to forage, they appear reluctant to leave Hoy, 1995; Hofmann & Schildberger, 2001; Kortet & cracks, presumably because this increases predation Hedrick, 2005; Väänänen, Kortet & Rantala, 2006), risk. Similar hiding behaviour occurs in many taxa and success in intrasexual competition can result in and is generally recognized as an antipredator tactic increased fertilization success for dominant males (Dill & Fraser, 1997; Hugie, 2003; Jennions et al., (Simmons, 1986b; Rantala & Kortet, 2004; Kortet & 2003; Hugie, 2004). Hedrick, 2005). Fighting success is a heritable trait in Wild-caught females had been inseminated in the at least one species of field cricket (Gryllus bimacula- field before capture. Laboratory crickets were main- tus De Geer; Wedell & Tregenza, 1999). tained at 25 ± 1 °C with food available (Purina chick Virtually no studies have investigated behavioural starter) and water ad libitum, under a 12 : 12 h light/ syndromes in field crickets (but see Hedrick, 2000) dark photoperiod. Experimental crickets were even though many behavioural traits, such as mating removed from bulk family boxes as nymphs (approxi- preferences, antipredator behaviour, aggression, and mately one quarter adult size) and reared individually social dominance have been studied in these animals (also with food and water available ad libitum) in (Adamo & Hoy, 1995; Hedrick & Weber, 1998; Gray & waxed cardboard cups. Individuals of both sexes were Cade, 1999; Hedrick, 2000; Wagner & Reiser, 2000; physically, but not acoustically, isolated from other Rantala & Kortet, 2003; Kortet & Hedrick, 2004, individuals to ensure virginity and control for experi- 2005). However, in a population of the field cricket ence (with the possible exception of acoustic experi- Gryllus integer Scudder in Davis, California, calling ence). The crickets were approximately 2 weeks behaviour is phenotypically correlated with antipreda- past the final adult moult on the first day of the tor behaviour. In this population, males call to attract experiment. receptive females, males differ in their durations of uninterrupted calling, and females prefer longer calls (Hedrick, 1986). Calling duration is heritable EXPERIMENTAL TRIALS ON ACTIVITY IN A NOVEL (Hedrick, 1994). Hedrick (2000) demonstrated that ENVIRONMENT males with longer calls were more cautious about pre- Experimental trials were conducted in a sound-proof, dation risk than males with shorter calls: they had temperature controlled dark room chamber longer latencies to emerge from a safe refuge in a novel (26 ± 1 °C), consisting of a computer, desk, and red fil- environment, and had longer latencies to resume call- ter light (25 W red incandescent bulb, 60 cm from the ing when interrupted by a predator cue. Aggressive- arena). The red light was used to mimic nocturnal con- ness of males was not measured in this study. ditions. Our methods for trials to assess the ‘cautious- In the present study, we examined whether a ness’ of individual crickets were as described general aggressiveness/activity syndrome exists in previously (Hedrick, 2000), and resembled methods G. integer, by testing whether ‘cautiousness’ about that have been used extensively to measure ‘fearful- becoming active and emerging from a safe refuge in a ness’ in rodents (Boissy, 1995). At the beginning of a novel environment was correlated with the fighting trial, an experimental male was placed in a clean ability of males. If an aggressiveness/activity behav- experimental vial (a clear plastic vial that was covered ioural syndrome exists in this population of G. integer, with a layer of clear tape to make it opaque, 4 cm we predicted that more aggressive males (those who in diameter × 65 mm in length, set upright in an won the majority of fights with a weight-matched experimental arena (Rubbermaid food storage con- opponent) would have shorter latencies to become tainer; length 17 cm × width 17 cm × height 10 cm). active and to emerge from a refuge than less aggres- The cricket inside the vial was given 2 min to accli- sive males. mate to the environment. After acclimation, experi- © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society,
Recommended publications
  • Influence of Female Cuticular Hydrocarbon (CHC) Profile on Male Courtship Behavior in Two Hybridizing Field Crickets Gryllus
    Heggeseth et al. BMC Evolutionary Biology (2020) 20:21 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-020-1587-9 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Influence of female cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile on male courtship behavior in two hybridizing field crickets Gryllus firmus and Gryllus pennsylvanicus Brianna Heggeseth1,2, Danielle Sim3, Laura Partida3 and Luana S. Maroja3* Abstract Background: The hybridizing field crickets, Gryllus firmus and Gryllus pennsylvanicus have several barriers that prevent gene flow between species. The behavioral pre-zygotic mating barrier, where males court conspecifics more intensely than heterospecifics, is important because by acting earlier in the life cycle it has the potential to prevent a larger fraction of hybridization. The mechanism behind such male mate preference is unknown. Here we investigate if the female cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile could be the signal behind male courtship. Results: While males of the two species display nearly identical CHC profiles, females have different, albeit overlapping profiles and some females (between 15 and 45%) of both species display a male-like profile distinct from profiles of typical females. We classified CHC females profile into three categories: G. firmus-like (F; including mainly G. firmus females), G. pennsylvanicus-like (P; including mainly G. pennsylvanicus females), and male-like (ML; including females of both species). Gryllus firmus males courted ML and F females more often and faster than they courted P females (p < 0.05). Gryllus pennsylvanicus males were slower to court than G. firmus males, but courted ML females more often (p < 0.05) than their own conspecific P females (no difference between P and F).
    [Show full text]
  • Responses of Oaks to Mammal and Insect Herbivory A
    RESPONSES OF OAKS TO MAMMAL AND INSECT HERBIVORY A dissertation submitted to Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Cynthia Lynn Perkovich May 2021 © Copyright All rights reserved Except for previously published materials Dissertation written by Cynthia Lynn Perkovich B.S., Kent State University, 2013 M.S., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2016 Ph.D., Kent State University, 2021 Approved by David Ward, Ph.D. , Chair, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Oscar Rocha, Ph.D., Members, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Matthew Lehnert, Ph.D. Don Cipollini, Ph.D. Edgar Kooijman, Ph.D. Accepted by Laura G. Leff, Ph.D. , Chair, Department of Biological Sciences Mandy Munro-Stasiuk, Ph.D. , Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................vi LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................................................................ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... xi I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................. 1 REFERENCES....................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Integer Group Gryllus Integer Scudder
    Males are easy to approach in the field and sing well in the laboratory. Because of a similar dominant frequency and long, uninterrupted trills, we have confused this Gryllus, in the field, with sympatric trilling Oecanthus tree crickets. Male G. regularis parasitized by tachinid Ormia ochracea at Agua Fria (Sakaguchi & Gray 2011). FIGURE 95. G. regularis with subtle pairing of pulses (R11-167), from Yavapai Co., AZ (S11-105), at 21°C. The Integer Group G. integer Scudder and G. armatus Scudder. Sister species with a series of very fast 2-3 pulse chirps concatenated together (Fig. 96) such that they can sound like an irregular ‘stutter-trill’ despite not being a true trill as defined here (p. 25). Separated by geography (Fig. 100), DNA (Fig. 98), and song differences (Fig. 96). Gryllus integer Scudder Mud Crack Field Cricket Figs 96–104, 106, Table 1 1901 Gryllus integer Scudder. Psyche 9: p. 268. Lectotype male (Fig. 99) designated by Weissman et al. 1980: “W. Berkeley, Calif., Aug 20, 1897. S.H. Scudder coll. Gr. integer, Scudder’s type 1901. Red label, type 14065.” Specimen labeled Weiss- man and Rentz cotype #1). Type in ANSP. ‘Gryllus VI’ of Weissman & Rentz (1977a) and Rentz & Weissman (1981). G. integer (in part) of Weissman et al. (1980). ‘Gryllus #6’ of DBW notebooks. Distribution. California (except for southeastern deserts) north into Washington, east into Idaho and Wyoming and south into western Colorado, northern and central Utah, and Nevada (Fig. 100). Also known from 5 California Channel Islands. Recognition characters and song. A medium sized, short hind femur, always solid black headed, long and nar- row tegmina, long hind winged cricket.
    [Show full text]
  • Gryllus Texensis) in Response to Acoustic Calls from Conspecific Males
    J Insect Behav DOI 10.1007/s10905-013-9375-7 Phonotactic Behavior of Male Field Crickets (Gryllus texensis) in Response to Acoustic Calls From Conspecific Males Thomas M. McCarthy & John Keyes & William H. Cade Revised: 17 December 2012 /Accepted: 10 January 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013 Abstract We studied male phonotactic behaviors elicited by acoustic cues that simulate conspecific male songs in the field cricket, Gryllus texensis. Males exhibited significant positive phonotaxis in response to the simulated song stimuli, but showed no such response to atypical song stimuli. We found no significant relationship between males’ own calling behavior and their phonotactic responses to the stimuli. Analyses indicated that larger males exhibited greater phonotactic responses, which may indicate a greater tendency to engage in aggressive interactions if size is an indicator of fighting ability. Male phonotactic responses were significantly weaker than those exhibited by females, and adult males did not exhibit stronger responses with increasing age as has been documented for females. Observed sex differences in the strengths of phonotactic responses may reflect differences in the fitness-payoffs of responding. That is, females are under strong selection pressure to respond to male songs and subsequently mate. In contrast, males responding to acoustic signals from other males need not precisely locate the signaler but would likely move to areas where females are likely to be found. Alternatively, males might benefit from avoiding areas with calling males and establish- ing their own calling stations away from competing males. Keywords Acoustic signal . phonotaxis . mating system . behavioral strategy . size . orthoptera Introduction A major goal in behavioral ecology is to understand the selective forces that influence the evolution of mating systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Sex, Death and Genetic Variation: Natural and Sexual Selection on Cricket Song
    Sex, death and genetic variation: natural and sexual selection on cricket song David A. Gray* and William H. Cade Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3A1 Male ¢eld crickets, Gryllus integer, in Texas, USA, produce a trilled calling song that attracts female crickets, resulting in enhanced mating success. Gravid female parasitoid £ies, Ormia ochracea, are also attracted to male cricket calling song, resulting in the death of the male within about seven days. Using playbacks of ¢eld-cricket calling song in the natural habitat, we show that both female crickets and female parasitoid £ies prefer male calling song with average numbers of pulses per trill. Thus female crickets exert stabilizing sexual selection, whereas £ies exert disruptive natural selection on male song. Disruptive natural selection will promote genetic variation and population divergence. Stabilizing sexual selection will reduce genetic variation and maintain population cohesiveness. These forces may balance and together maintain the observed high levels of genetic variation (ca. 40%) in male calling song. Keywords: Fisher's fundamental theorem; genetic variation; female preference; parasitoid; phonotaxis 1. INTRODUCTION 2. METHODS According to Fisher's fundamental theorem, selection is To test song preferences of female crickets and £ies in the expected to reduce genetic variation in ¢tness-related ¢eld, we used a repeated single pulse recorded from a male to traits, a prediction largely borne out by empirical studies construct three calling-song models, di¡ering only in the (Mousseau & Ro¡ 1987). A number of mechanisms number of PPT, namely 25, 45, and 65 PPT, or roughly the maintaining genetic variation in sexually selected traits mean+1 s.d.
    [Show full text]
  • Parasitism Patterns and the Size-Fecundity Relationship in The
    Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 973 Parasitism patterns and the size–fecundity relationship in the acoustically orienting dipteran parasitoid Ormia ochracea Gita R. Kolluru and Marlene Zuk Abstract: Female parasitoids are expected to distribute offspring among hosts in a manner that maximizes fitness. Several theoretical and empirical studies have focussed on clutch-size patterns in hymenopteran parasitoids. In contrast, dipteran parasitoids, which differ from hymenopterans in potentially important ways, have received little attention. The phonotactic tachinid fly Ormia ochracea has been intensively studied for its effects on host crickets, and has recently been the subject of studies of its own reproductive biology. This work suggests a negative relationship between clutch size and progeny fitness (consistent with hymenopterans), but no adjustment of clutch size to host size (different from hymenopterans). However, the repeatability of these patterns and the relationship between fly size and fitness remain to be demonstrated. We examined clutch sizes of O. ochracea larvae in the cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. Most clutches were smaller than a cricket can support to pupation. Smaller clutches yielded larger offspring and larger wild-caught flies had higher fecundity, supporting the idea that small clutches yield higher fitness. However, although parasitised male crickets were slightly larger than unparasitised males, there was no correlation between cricket size and the num­ ber of larvae. Potential reasons for this departure from the patterns found in hymenopteran parasitoids are discussed. Résumé : On s’attend à ce que les parasitoïdes femelles répartissent leur progéniture parmi les hôtes de façon à maxi- miser leur fitness. Plusieurs études théoriques et empiriques ont été faites sur les fluctuations de la taille des pontes chez les hyménoptères parasitoïdes.
    [Show full text]
  • Standardisation of Bioacoustic Terminology for Insects
    Biodiversity Data Journal 8: e54222 doi: 10.3897/BDJ.8.e54222 Research Article Standardisation of bioacoustic terminology for insects Edward Baker‡, David Chesmore‡ ‡ University of York, York, United Kingdom Corresponding author: Edward Baker ([email protected]) Academic editor: Therese Catanach Received: 12 May 2020 | Accepted: 22 Jul 2020 | Published: 04 Aug 2020 Citation: Baker E, Chesmore D (2020) Standardisation of bioacoustic terminology for insects. Biodiversity Data Journal 8: e54222. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.8.e54222 Abstract After reviewing the published literature on sound production in insects, a standardised terminology and controlled vocabularies have been created. This combined terminology has potential for use in automated identification systems, evolutionary studies, and other use cases where the synthesis of bioacoustic traits from the literature is required. An example implementation has been developed for the BioAcoustica platform. It is hoped that future development of controlled vocabularies will become a community effort. Keywords insect, sound production, vocabulary, bioacoustics Introduction "Two dangers face the student seeking to rationalize and codify a terminology that has grown up empirically and that is beginning to differentiate regionally or according to faculty or in other ways - as must always tend to happen. One danger is that of legislating prematurely and clumsily for hypothetical future requirements; the other is a too easy-going and long-sustained attitude of laissez-faire arising from wishing to let the mud settle before trying to penetrate the shadows of often chaotic and obscure usages. If the former danger © Baker E, Chesmore D. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
    [Show full text]
  • Ormia Ochracea on the Cricket Gryllus Rubens
    Foraging theory as a model to examine parasitism by the Tachinid parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea on the cricket Gryllus rubens by Andrew J. Masson A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto © Copyright by Andrew Masson 2015 Foraging theory as a model to examine parasitism by the Tachinid parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea on the cricket Gryllus rubens Andrew Masson Master of Science Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto 2015 Abstract This paper tests the effects of auditory and chemical sensory input on the foraging and larviposition behaviour of an eavesdropping parasitoid fly. Ormia ochracea (Diptera: Tachinidae) use the dominant calling field cricket in their habitat as hosts for their larvae; females locate hosts by eavesdropping on the acoustic calls produced by male crickets. By manipulating directional cues in the auditory stimulus experienced by foraging females their ability to locate hosts and their ability to switch to a novel host following a switch in the location of the stimulus were examined. Success was dependent upon walking behaviour and proximity at stimulus change. After locating potential hosts females must deposit larva and differences in larviposition rates of females, after they had located an attractive sound source (cricket call), in the absence and presence of chemical cues associated with crickets indicate that females may use additional sensory modalities in host-foraging
    [Show full text]
  • Orthoptera; Gryllidae): I Possible Influence of a Sex-Biased Parasitoid
    I Differences in age structure among field cricket populations (Orthoptera; Gryllidae): I possible influence of a sex-biased parasitoid Anne-Marie Murray and William H. Cade Abstract: This study examined age structure in adult populations of three species of field cricket, Gryllus veletis, G. pennsylvanicus, and G. integer. Adults were aged by counting growth layers in cross sections of tibiae. The study species differ in several life-history traits including the likelihood of parasitism by Ormia ochracea, a tachinid that orients to calling males. Gryllus integer is parasitized whereas G. veletis and G. pennsylvanicus are not. Such differences between the species should result in different age patterns. Data from field collections demonstrated that adult G. veletis and G. pennsylvanicus had similar maximum life-spans of about 4 weeks, and males were similar in age or slightly older than females. The maximum age for female G. integer was also about 4 weeks, but few males >20 days old were encountered. Moreover, male G. integer were significantly younger than females in five out of six samples. This pattern in G. integer, evident in 2 successive years, could be consistent with sex-biased mortality by Ormia ochracea. The results are discussed in relation to differential longevities and the intensity of sexual selection on male mating behaviour. Resume : Nous avons ktudik la structure selon l'ige de populations adultes de trois espkces de grillons, Gryllus veletis, G. pennsylvanicus et G. integer. L'ige a kt6 dktermink par dknombrement des couches de croissance dans des coupes transversales de tibias. Les espkces ktudikes different par plusieurs aspects de leur biologie, notamment par leur susceptibilitk au parasitisme d'Ormia ochracea, un tachinide qui recherche les miles chanteurs.
    [Show full text]
  • Do Male Field Crickets, Gryllus Pennsylvanicus, Signal Their Age?
    Animal Behaviour 81 (2011) 185e194 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Animal Behaviour journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/anbehav Do male field crickets, Gryllus pennsylvanicus, signal their age? Kevin A. Judge* Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada article info Older males are often reported to have higher mating success than younger males. To the extent that Article history: male quality and survival are positively correlated, this observation raises the possibility that females use Received 10 June 2010 male signals to assess age and thus quality. I tested this hypothesis in the fall field cricket, Gryllus Initial acceptance 22 July 2010 pennsylvanicus, a species in which females are known to prefer older males, and males call to attract Final acceptance 24 September 2010 females. Tests were both longitudinal (males recorded early and late in life) and cross-sectional (males Available online 3 November 2010 recorded once, each at different ages). I measured a variety of temporal and spectral calling song MS. number: A10-00414R parameters and tested the predictions that: 1) calling song changes with age, and 2) variation in calling song correlates with variation in age. I found significant changes with increased age: calls showed Keywords: decreased pulse period, decreased pulse duration, decreased pulse peak frequency, more pulses per chirp age-based indicator mechanism and increased pulse period variability. Although pulse period and pulse duration were negatively bioacoustics correlated with male age in bivariate correlations, canonical correlation failed to detect any significant calling song Gryllinae relationship between male age and any linear combination of song parameters.
    [Show full text]
  • Cryptic Species of Gryllus in the Light of Bioacoustic (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)
    January - March 2003 75 SYSTEMATICS, MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY Cryptic Species of Gryllus in the Light of Bioacoustic (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) JOSÉ A. DE O. DAVID1, EDISON ZEFA2 AND CARMEM S. FONTANETTI1 1Depto. Biologia, UNESP - Rio Claro, IB. Av. 24 A, nº 1515, Bela Vista, 13506-900, Rio Claro, SP 2Faculdade União das Américas, Av. Tarquinio Joslin dos Santos, s/n, Jardim Universitário, Foz do Iguaçu, PR Neotropical Entomology 32(1):075-080 (2003) Espécies Crípticas de Gryllus à Luz da Bioacústica (Gryllidae: Orthoptera) RESUMO - O gênero Gryllus destaca-se com um grande número de espécies descritas e representa um dos mais complexos gêneros na sistemática dos Orthoptera, caracterizado por um conjunto de espécies cosmopolitas e crípticas. Este trabalho compara os sons emitidos por espécimens de Gryllus coletados no campus da UNESP em Rio Claro (SP), bem como a morfologia e morfometria das pars stridens, com o objetivo de aplicar os resultados no reconhecimento de possíveis espécies crípticas e contribuir na discussão de processos de especiação. Três grupos de grilos foram discriminados por diferenças nas pars stridens e sons de chamado, caracterizados por diferentes ritmos, freqüências e composição das notas, indicando assim, a presença de três espécies no local analisado, morfologicamente pouco distintas. Diante dos resultados, sugere-se a utilização das características da pars stridens e do som de chamado como caracteres diagnósticos imprescindíveis na taxonomia dos Gryllus. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Insecta, bioacústica, pars stridens ABSTRACT - The Gryllus genus represents one the most complex in the Orthoptera systematic, characterized by a set of cosmopolite and cryptic species, many of them already described. This study compared the songs emitted by Gryllus specimens collected on the UNESP campus in Rio Claro (SP) and the pars stridens morphology and morphometry, to use the results to recognize possible cryptic species and contribute to the discussion of speciation processes.
    [Show full text]
  • Divergence Between the Courtship Songs of the Field Crickets Gryllus Texensis and Gryllus Rubens (Orthoptera, Gryllidae)
    Ethology 107, 1075Ð1085 (2001) Ó 2001 Blackwell Wissenschafts-Verlag, Berlin ISSN 0179±1613 Biological Sciences, Brock University, St Catharines, Ontario Divergence between the Courtship Songs of the Field Crickets Gryllus texensis and Gryllus rubens (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) Mark J. Fitzpatrick & David A. Gray Fitzpatrick, M. J. & Gray, D. A. 2001: Divergence between the courtship songs of the ®eld crickets Gryllus texensis and Gryllus rubens (Orthoptera, Gryllidae). Ethology 107, 1075Ð1085. Abstract Acoustic mating signals are often important as both interspeci®c prezygotic isolating mechanisms and as sexually selected traits in intraspeci®c mate choice. Here, we investigate the potential for cricket courtship song to act as an isolating mechanism by assessing divergence between the courtship songs of Gryllus texensis and Gryllus rubens, two broadly sympatric cryptic sister species of ®eld crickets with strong prezygotic isolation via the calling song and little or no postzygotic isolation. We found signi®cant species-level dierences in the courtship song, but the song has not diverged to the same extent as the calling song, and considerable overlap remains between these two species. Only two related courtship song characters are suciently distinct to play a possible role in prezygotic species isolation. Corresponding author: David A. Gray, Department of Biology, The California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordho Street, Northridge, CA 91330-8303, USA. E-mail: [email protected]. Mark J. Fitzpatrick (present address), Department of Zoology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga ON, L5L 1C6, Canada. Introduction Acoustic mating signals are often important determinants of the boundaries of gene ¯ow both within and among species. Long-distance acoustic mating signals are species-speci®c, at least for a given locality and season.
    [Show full text]