Secondary spectral components of substrate-borne vibrational signals affect male preference.

Animal sexual signals contain information about both compatibility and quality of the signaller, but combined with influence of the signalling medium, the complexity of mate selection makes it difficult to separate different components of this process. We approached the problem of teasing apart different functions of sexual signals by using the planthopper Hyalesthes obsoletus, which uses unimodal vibrational communication, as a model. Vibrational signals are known to encode information about identity in their temporal pattern, while a useful cue for quality may reside in their spectral properties. In this study, we demonstrate a connection between spectral properties and attractiveness of female signals based on male behavioural response to signal playback. Artificially increasing the amplitude of high-frequency components increases signal attractiveness and vice versa, which indicates that spectral properties could function as an index of quality. Presence of high-frequency spectral components might indicate a larger or healthier individual, but direct connection with female fitness is not yet clear. In addition, we found that H. obsoletus males are able to exploit female pulses as directional cues and can discriminate between female signals of different attractiveness coming from spatially separated sources.

Mazzoni V ，Polajnar J ，Virant-Doberlet M 《-》

The process of pair formation mediated by substrate-borne vibrations in a small insect.

The ability to identify and locate conspecifics depends on reliable transfer of information between emitter and receiver. For a majority of plant-dwelling insects communicating with substrate-borne vibrations, localization of a potential partner may be a difficult task due to their small body size and complex transmission properties of plants. In the present study, we used the leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus as a model to investigate duetting and mate searching associated with pair formation. Studying these insects on a natural substrate, we showed that the spatio-temporal structure of a vibrational duet and the perceived intensity of partner's signals influence the mating behaviour. Identification, localization and courtship stages were each characterized by a specific duet structure. In particular, the duet structure differed in synchronization between male and female pulses, which enables identification of the partner, while the switch between behavioural stages was associated with the male-perceived intensity of vibrational signals. This suggests that males obtain the information about their distance from the female and optimize their strategy accordingly. More broadly, our results show that even in insects smaller than 1cm, vibrational signals provide reliable information needed to find a mating partner.

Polajnar J ，Eriksson A ，Rossi Stacconi MV ，Lucchi A ，Anfora G ，Virant-Doberlet M ，Mazzoni V ... -  《-》

Reproductive strategy of the Nearctic leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae).

Mazzoni V ，Presern J ，Lucchi A ，Virant-Doberlet M ... -  《-》

Vibrational communication and reproductive isolation in the Enchenopa binotata species complex of treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae).

Rodríguez RL ，Sullivan LE ，Cocroft RB 《EVOLUTION》

The Effect of Timing of Female Vibrational Reply on Male Signalling and Searching Behaviour in the Leafhopper Aphrodes makarovi.

Kuhelj A ，de Groot M ，Blejec A ，Virant-Doberlet M ... -  《PLoS One》