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Sound production mechanism in pamphagid grasshoppers (Orthoptera)
Author(s) -
López H.,
García M. D.,
Clemente E.,
Presa J. J.,
Oromí P.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2007.00394.x
Subject(s) - orthoptera , biology , sound production , mechanism (biology) , rubbing , acridoidea , zoology , sound (geography) , receptivity , acrididae , acoustics , physics , chemistry , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , endocrinology
Sound production in the endemic genera of Canarian Pamphagidae Acrostira and Purpuraria has been recorded for the first time. These apterous grasshoppers have developed the alar‐notal method alternative to that commonly used by Caelifera for their communication. This method is reported in detail with video recordings, histological sections and oscillograms. A model to explain this mechanism is proposed, given that previous descriptions were incomplete. The song is produced by rubbing together the ventral edge of the metanotum and the basalar sclerite. In the Canarian Pamphagidae this behaviour is found exclusively in females to announce their reproductive receptivity to the males. Females usually have to produce a series of anomalous sounds before they can emit a perfect song.