A comparative study of ultrasound-triggered behaviour in tiger beetles (Cicindelidae)

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2000
Authors:Yager, Cook, Pearson, Spangler
Journal:Journal of Zoology
Volume:251
Issue:3
Pagination:355 - 368
Date Published:Jan-07-2000
ISSN:0952-8369
Keywords:Cicindela, defensive behaviour, evolution, insect hearing, phylogeny
Abstract:

This study examines the behavioural responses to ultrasound in 52 species from the family Cicindelidae using both tethered Øight and non-Øight assays. Tethered Øying tiger beetles respond to trains of bat-like ultrasonic pulses with a short-latency, multi-component behaviour. There was no variation in the nature of the behavioural responses regardless of geographical distribution or phylogenetic position. Lowest mean behavioural thresholds lie predominantly between 30 and 45 kHz. Sensitivity, however, varies widely, and several species do not respond at all in these assays. The lowest thresholds for responders are most often between 70 and 80 dB SPL. Almost all subgenera of North American tiger beetles in the genus Cicindela have at least some species with low-threshold acoustic behaviour. The single exception is the large subgenus Cicindela where all species are completely unresponsive or have very high thresholds. There was little relationship between habitat and responsiveness to ultrasound, but there is a strong correlation with seasonal activity ± species with adults active in the spring and autumn (all in the subgenus Cicindela )do not show ultrasound-triggered behaviour whereas summer-active species generally do. Superimposing these data on a current phylogeny of the North American tiger beetles suggests that acoustic behaviour (and hearing) is a shared primitive trait among the taxa examined here and that there have been at least Æve independent losses of this character.

URL:http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/jzo/251/3
DOI:10.1111/jzo.2000.251.issue-310.1111/j.1469-7998.2000.tb01086.x
Short Title:J Zoology
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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith