Differences in the male calling songs of two sibling species of Cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) in Greece

Abstract

Abstract. Cicada orni L. is one of the most abundant and common species of cicada in Greece. However, this species was not found during recent field work on the Greek islands of Samos and Ikaria. Instead, the very closely related C. mordoganensis Boulard was found practically everywhere on these islands. C. orni and C. mordoganensis are very closely related species which are morphologi cally very similar (sibling species), even the male genitalia, and the acoustic signals produced by males during courtship and pair formation have the same general pattern. In order to describe the acoustic signals produced by these sibling species, temporal and spectral analyses were made of the calling songs of the males and certain acoustic variables were measured. Based on the duration of echemes, the number of pulse units they contain, the intervals between echemes and the number of echemes per second, the song of C. mordoganensis is distinct from that of C. orni. Cluster analysis of the acoustic characteristics of C. mordoganensis from Samos and Ikaria and of C. orni from the Greek mainland (Dionysos, north of Athens) gave a clear and distinct separation of these species.Moreover, as there has been very little divergence between these two species at the protein electrophoretic level, the acoustic divergence has evolved independently of allozyme divergence. This may imply that in these cicadas acoustic divergence, and there fore premating isolation, may have evolved rapidly and resulted in rapid speciation at low levels of general genetic differentiation.

Bioacoustic and morphological differentiation in two allopatric species Tibicina Amyot (Hemiptera, Cicadoidea) in Portugal

“…The present data when compared to other Mediterranean cicadas suggest that we can rationalise two main patterns of specific divergence within groups of closely related species of cicadas: (i) the case illustrated by species within Cicada Linnaeus and Tettigetta Kolenati, where considerable acoustic divergence (mostly in the temporal domain) was attained with very little morphological differentiation (e.g., Quartau & Boulard 1995, Simdes et al 2000; and (ii) the present example of Tibicina where the opposite is apparent, that is, conspicuous morphological divergence was attained with very subtle acoustic differentiation. Interestingly, a pair of closely related cicadas whose songs show particularly pronounced differences in the calls are sympatric in some areas in Portugal (e.g., Cicada orni vs. C. barbara), whereas those with less clearly defined songs have apparently allopatric distributions (the present case of Tibicina spp.).…”

The Causes of Evolutionary Radiations in Archipelagoes: Passerine Birds in the Lesser Antilles

“…Thus, behavioral/morphological change leading to premating isolation might be important, or even required, for reproductive incompatibility (Alatalo et al 1994;Grant andGrant 1996, 1998;Saetre et al 1997Saetre et al , 2001Veen et al 2001). Song plasticity, including cultural learning, often from male parents, is prominent in songbirds (Nowicki et al 1998;Searcy et al 2002), including mimids (Brenowitz and Beecher 2005), and might form the basis of population differentiation sufficient for premating incompatibility (Grant and Grant 1997a;Price 1998;Rundle and Schluter 1998;Simoes et al 2000).…”

Patterns of morphometric variation among species of the genus Cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in the Mediterranean area

“…In fact, these cicadas form a complex of sibling species looking very similar on the basis of the external morphology and even the male genitalia. However, a few differences in structure and colour can be found, especially when large series of specimens are analysed (Quartau, 1988;Simões et al, 2000;Quartau & Simões, 2006).…”