Mating behavior and three types of mating songs of the sandy beach-dwelling ground cricket Dianemobius csikii (Grylloidea, Trigonidiidae, Nemobiinae)

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the mating behavior of the sandy beach-dwelling ground cricket, Dianemobius csikii (Bolívar, 1901) (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Trigonidiidae, Nemobiinae). The calling songs of males were recorded, and the temporal structures of the songs were analyzed. Subsequently, the courtship song and mating behavior of cricket pairs were observed. The calling song consisted only of monotonous chirps, while the courtship song consisted of similar chirps and ticks consisting of a single pulse. Dianemobius csikii exhibited a relatively longer courtship duration than other cricket species. The female stayed with the male for approximately 25 min while the male emitted the courtship song. The male then changed to the trill song, which is a continuous song, just before copulation. Copulation occurred within 10–40 s of the male emitting the trill song. The courtship behavior differs from that of other well-studied cricket species, such as Gryllinae. The findings of this study provide insight into the mating behaviors of crickets.