Sound communication inNezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): Further evidence that signal transmission is substrate-borne

Abstract

Abstract. We investigated the sound communication associated with mating in Nezara viridula (L.) to clarify conflicting reports on the medium through which acoustic signals are borne. Recordings made from virgin pairs of N. viridula during precopulatory and copulatory behaviour have revealed that signals transmitted as vibrations through the substrate are a more likely means of communication than signals transmitted by a radiation of sound pressure waves through the air (at least in Australian populations). We present evidence (additional to that already in the literature) that air-borne acoustics are an unlikely mechanism of sexual communication in this species. Specifically, the recorded pulse train patterns showed no consistency or repeatability in relation to different stages of mating behaviour. Conflicting opinions exist regarding the medium of sound communication in Nezara viridula. Based on work conducted on American populations, air-borne signals have been stated to be the primary means of communication 12. Originally, European populations of this species, were also thought to communicate in this way 3, but subsequent work has indicated that air-borne signals would be an inefficient and unlikely means of communication in N. viridula and that substrate-borne communication is more likely 5, 9-11. The evidence presented in favour of the latter claim has been derived from neurophysiological investigation of responses to auditory signals detected by vibroreceptors in the legs 8 ofN. viridula, combined with an analysis of N. viridula vibratory emissions 9. We investigated an Australian population of N. viridula and repeated the air-borne sound recording techniques used by Harris et al.12. Substrate-borne signals were also recorded from mating pairs of N. viridula. Although our results do not allow us to resolve the issue entirely (because we used bugs from a different population), they do allow us to draw strong inferences. These are based on certain technical difficulties we encountered in identifying putative air-borne signals and on the consistency with which substrate-borne signals were detected. Materials and methods N. viridula nymphs were collected off soybean crops atKingaroy, Queensland, and reared on a diet of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), raw peanuts (Arachis hypoaea) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds. The subsequent F 1 generation was reared solely on rape seed plants (Brassica rapa var. silvestris) and it was from this population that all recordings were obtained. Air-borne acoustics. Using equipment with sensitivity (100 mV/pascal) appropriate to the low frequency, low decibel sounds reported by Harris et al. 12, recordings were made with a microphone positioned to within 1 cm Of a pair of virgin bugs exhibiting mating behaviour (leading to copulation) in an anechoic chamber. Although an anechoic chamber is a sound-dampening chamber, it inevitably has continual low-level background noise ( fig. 1). For this reason 10 control recordings were made (with no bugs or observer in the chamber...

Field Attraction of the Stink Bug <I>Euschistus conspersus</I> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) to Synthetic Pheromone-Baited Host Plants

“…Visual, tactile, and vibrational cues have been demonstrated to be important components in stink bug communication for a number of species, including Nezara viridula L. (Ota andÇ okl 1991, Ryan andWalter 1992); Halyomorpha mista Uhler (Kawada and Kitamura 1983); and Thyanta pallidovirens Stal (Wang and Millar 1997); as well as the species in our study, E. conspersus (Alcock 1971). The importance of nonolfactory cues represents a major challenge in situations where the object is to mimic attractive conspeciÞcs as closely as possible in an attempt to lure insects to enter an unnatural environment, such as a trap.…”

The Role of (E)-2-octenyl Acetate as a Pheromone of Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister): Laboratory and Field Evaluation

“…The weak attraction observed in the field tests suggests that this semiochemical is probably not the only cue involved in the intra-specific communication of this species. In several phytophagous stink bugs, mating and aggregation behaviors are also influenced by other sensory cues that act at short range, such as visual and/or vibrational signals [52,53].…”

Copulation behaviour of Lygocoris pabulinus under laboratory conditions

“…Male vibration behaviour during courtship in mirids is also noted in L. hesperus (Strong et al, 1970). In the Heteroptera acoustic signals during courtship have only been studied extensively in N. viridula (Todd, 1989;Ota & Cokl, 1991;Ryan & Walter, 1992). In this species both males and females emit specific vibrational signals to locate potential mates on plants (Ota & Cokl, 1991) and to initiate mating (Ryan & Walter, 1992).…”

“…In the Heteroptera acoustic signals during courtship have only been studied extensively in N. viridula (Todd, 1989;Ota & Cokl, 1991;Ryan & Walter, 1992). In this species both males and females emit specific vibrational signals to locate potential mates on plants (Ota & Cokl, 1991) and to initiate mating (Ryan & Walter, 1992). It is unlikely that L. pabulinus uses the vibrational signals for long-range mate location, because only males emit these signals.…”