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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). Both males courted heterospecific ML females more often than other heterospecific females ( p  < 0.05, significant only for  G. firmus  males).    Conclusions  Our results suggest that male mate preference is at least partially informed by female CHC profile and that ML females elicit high courtship behavior in both species. Since ML females exist in both species and are preferred over other heterospecific females, it is likely that this female type is responsible for most hybrid offspring production.

bmc evolutionary biology

Influence of female cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile on male courtship behavior in two hybridizing field crickets Gryllus firmus and Gryllus pennsylvanicus