Variation in acoustic signals within and among leafhopper species of the genus Alebra (Homoptera, Cicadellidae)

Gillham, Malcolm C.

doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1992.tb00628.x

Cited by 23 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Within species, geographic differences in male and female vibrational signals can influence mate choice (Gillham 1992, Claridge and De Vrijer 1994, Miklas et al 2003. Individual differences in male signals also influence female choice, suggesting the operation of sexual selection (Hunt et al 1992, Butlin 1993, Rodríguez et al 2004.…”

Section: Social Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Behavioral Ecology of Insect Vibrational Communication

Cocroft¹,

2005

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Articles With our reliance on vision and hearing and our weak vibration sense, humans have only recently developed ways to mine the information provided by the soundless vibration of the surfaces around us (box 1). Nevertheless, the information is there: geophones show ongoing tremors of the earth's surface, stethoscopes bring the rhythm of our heart and lungs to a doctor's ears, and laser vibrometers let surveillance teams listen to conversation faithfully reproduced in the vibration of a windowpane. Vibration-sensitive species, including insects and spiders, can mine this wealth of information directly. They not only monitor vibrations to detect predators or prey but also introduce vibrations into structures to communicate with other individuals. In this article we provide evidence of the importance of this form of signaling, review what we know about vibrational signaling in insects, and discuss ecological sources of selection on vibrational communication systems.Whether counted by species, family, or phylogenetic distribution, vibrational signaling is prevalent in insects (figure 1). Indeed, it is the most common form of communication among the insects that use some type of mechanical disturbance propagating through a medium; this includes airborne and underwater sound, substrate vibrations, and water surface ripples (Greenfield 2002). Of the insect families in which some or all species communicate using such mechanical channels, 80% use vibrational signals alone or in combination with other mechanical signals, and 74% use vibrational signals alone (figure 1). At the species level, we estimate that 92% of such species-over 195,000 described taxa-use vibrational communication alone or in concert with other forms of mechanical signaling, and that 71%-150,000 species-use vibrational signaling exclusively (figure 1). These estimates are probably low: many if not most insect species remain to be described, and vibrational communication is probably even more taxonomically widespread than the current literature suggests.Accompanying the high species diversity of vibrational signalers is a fantastic diversity of signals. Humans can experience these signals by broadcasting them through a loudspeaker as airborne sound, a process that leaves their pitch and timing intact. One dramatic contrast between communication systems that use substrate vibration and those that use airborne sound is immediately obvious: substrate-borne signals give the impression of being produced by a large animal. This phenomenon, often startling to those listening to vibrational signals for the first time, arises from a relaxed relationship between the size of the signaling animal and the frequency (pitch) of the signal produced. When communicating with pressure waves traveling through air, small animals cannot efficiently broadcast low-frequency signals (Bennet-Clark 1998). As a consequence, only large animals can effectively produce low-frequency sounds. However, the physical constraints responsible for this relationship do not exist for subs...

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Section: Social Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Behavioral Ecology of Insect Vibrational Communication

Cocroft¹,

2005

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“…Identification is based only on slight differences in the shape of the male abdominal apodemes, on host association, and on differences in the colour pattern (Gilham, 1991). Intraspecific variation in these characters makes species identification very difficult, and thus the taxonomic status of host-associated populations is often controversial, especially for pest populations (Drosopoulos and Loukas, 1988;Gillham, 1992). In Alebra all the developmental stages and oviposition are intimately related to the host and most species have univoltine life cycles but some may complete up to two generations per year (Lauterer, 1986;Drosopoulos et al, 1987;Gilham, 1992;Demichelis and Bosco, 1995).…”

Section: Natural History Of Alebra Leafhoppersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For each population the specimens were identified on the basis of apodeme shape, colour pattern and host plant association (Gillham, 1992). According to these traits, samples from Quercus frainetto and Crataegus differ from any known species of Alebra, therefore, they were named after their host plant (Table 1).…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the first place, this species has a short and mainly univoltine life cycle (Drosopoulos et al, 1987;Demichelis and Bosco, 1995). Besides, since mating and oviposition occurs on the host (Gillham, 1992;Demichelis and Bosco, 1995), the shorter lifespan of males may restrict drastically the mating period. In addition, the eggs in arboreal leafhoppers are inserted in the bark of host stems and embedded in water prior to development (Claridge and Reynolds, 1972).…”

Section: Host-associated Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, careful studies of recently established host races, preferably of closely related taxonomic groups showing a similar biology, are crucial to test this new hypothesis experimentally. Alebra leafhoppers, which show hostassociated populations of uncertain taxonomic status (Drosopoulos and Loukas, 1988;Gillham, 1992), and have similar lifestyles and host specificity, seem a suitable group in which to look for host races. In the present study, the analyses of enzyme polymorphisms in 21 host populations shows that some of these populations have already reached specific status, while others may be interpreted as host races at intermediate stages of speciation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic differentiation among host-associated Alebra leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Aguin‐Pombo

2002

Heredity

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The limited importance ascribed to sympatric speciation processes via host race formation is partially due to the few cases of host races that have been reported among host populations. This work sheds light on the taxonomy of Alebra leafhoppers and examines the possible existence of host races among host-associated populations. The species of this genus show varying degrees of host association with deciduous trees and shrubs and, frequently, host populations of uncertain taxonomic status coexist and occasionally become pests. Allozyme electrophoresis of 21 Greek populations including sympatric, local and geographically distant samples collected on 13 different plant species, show that they represent at least five species: A. albostriella Fallé n, A. viridis (Rey) (sensu Gillham), A. wahlbergi Bo-

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The effect of temperature on male mating signals and female choice in the red mason bee, Osmia bicornis (L.)

Conrad

Stöcker

Ayasse

2017

Ecology and Evolution

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Climate change and the resulting changes in air temperature are known to have a major influence on most animals, especially poikilothermic insects, because they depend on the high enough temperatures to function. Previous studies have shown that various signals can be affected by changes in temperature. However, research into the effect of temperature on mating signals and subsequently communication between mates and on female choice is still rare. In the red mason bee, Osmia bicornis, which emerges early in spring and is therefore subject to extensive temperature changes, females choose suitable males based on, among other criteria, their thorax vibrations and odor. So far there has been no research into the effect of temperature changes on these signals. We therefore investigated whether the environmental temperature has an influence on the male's mating signals by measuring vibrations using a laser vibrometer and collecting male and female odor at different temperatures. Furthermore, we performed behavioral experiments in order to show whether there is an effect of temperature‐induced changes and female choice. Our results showed that rejected males differed in their vibrations between the two temperature settings but accepted ones did not. Temperature changes therefore seem to have a stronger effect on those males that are rejected by the females, whereas the accepted males are the ones that can produce desirable signals despite temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, we found that the differences in odor profiles were greater between temperature settings than between the sexes and that females change their preference for odor with temperature. We conclude that temperature strongly influences the male mating signals and therefore may have a major impact on sexual selection in this species. This is an important aspect to consider, not only in future studies on mating behavior, but also in view of our ever raising temperatures.

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Variation in acoustic signals within and among leafhopper species of the genus Alebra (Homoptera, Cicadellidae)

Cited by 23 publications

References 21 publications

The Behavioral Ecology of Insect Vibrational Communication

The Behavioral Ecology of Insect Vibrational Communication

Genetic differentiation among host-associated Alebra leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

The effect of temperature on male mating signals and female choice in the red mason bee, Osmia bicornis (L.)

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