Open AccessFour types of vibration behaviors in a mole cricket
Author(s) -
Yaoko Hayashi,
Jin Yoshimura,
Derek A. Roff,
T. Kumita,
Akira Shimizu
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0204628
Subject(s) - cricket , zoology , biology , nymph , evolutionary biology
Vibrational communication is known in some subterranean insects. Except for their use in sexual signaling, vibration behavior has rarely been reported. We report here four distinct types of substrate-based vibration behaviors in the mole cricket, Gryllotalpa orientalis , which are not associated with sexual signaling because of the occurrence of these behaviors in nymphs: (1) scraping with the forelegs; (2) foreleg taps (tapping with the forelegs); (3) palpal taps (tapping with the maxillary palpi); and (4) tremulation (back-and-forth movement of the whole body). Scraping is hypothesized to be used for the inspection of borrows. Foreleg taps are possibly informing nearby individuals of their presence, because it is never observed in solitary conditions. Palpal taps are rarely observed and its function is unknown. Tremulation is possibly related to avoidance of conspecific individual approaching and touching. The combination of the four vibration behaviors in the mole cricket may be unique among insects.