Neurobiology of acoustically mediated predator detection

Abstract

Ultrasound-driven avoidance responses have evolved repeatedly throughout the insecta as defenses against predation by echolocating bats. Although the auditory mechanics of ears and the properties of auditory receptor neurons have been studied in a number of groups, central neural processing of ultrasound stimuli has been examined in only a few cases. In this review, I summarize the neuronal basis for ultrasound detection and predator avoidance in crickets, tettigoniids, moths, and mantises, where central circuits have been studied most thoroughly. Several neuronal attributes, including steep intensity-response functions, high firing rates, and rapid spike conduction emerge as common themes of avoidance circuits. I discuss the functional consequences of these attributes, as well as the increasing complexity with which ultrasound stimuli are represented at successive levels of processing.

Matched Filters in Insect Audition: Tuning Curves and Beyond

“…There is no evidence of further frequency discrimination ability within the high-frequency range (Ehret et al 1982;Wyttenbach and Farris 2004). These two categories of frequency are represented in two behaviorally relevant interneurons in the afferent auditory pathway: auditory responses to the male song are forwarded toward the brain via a single ascending interneuron AN1 (Schildberger and H€ orner 1988;Schildberger et al 1989;Kostarakos and Hedwig 2014), whereas AN2 is tuned to ultrasonic frequencies, and its activity has been shown to be necessary and sufficient for eliciting steering away from ultrasound in flight (Nolen andHoy 1984: Pollack andPollack 2014). In a world with several species of bats echolocating at various ultrasonic frequencies, and only one (conspecific) species of cricket with a calling song below 15 kHz, the detection and identification of the cricket signal would be no problem, since it could be simply based on a separation of these two frequency ranges.…”

A review of escape behaviour in orthopterans

“…The detection of an approaching predator is an obvious requirement for successful escape. Animals can detect predators using different cues, such as visual (Hatsopoulos, Gabbiani & Laurent, ), auditory (Pollack, ) and chemical (Kats & Dill, ) cues. The neurobiological processes involved in predator detection are well understood, in particular in invertebrate species (Card, ; Herberholz & Marquart, ).…”

Decision‐making and motor control in predatory insects: a review of the praying mantis

“…Mantises seem to switch defence system depending on their activity status; either standing on the ground or flying. When flying, mantises' evasive responses can be triggered by sound (Yager, ; Pollack, for review). Male mantises fly at night to seek females, which makes them vulnerable to predation by echolocating bats (e.g.…”