When males whistle at females: complex FM acoustic signals in cockroaches

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2006
Authors:Sueur, Aubin
Journal:Naturwissenschaften
Volume:93
Questão:10
Pagination:500 - 505
Date Published:Jan-10-2006
ISSN:0028-1042
Palavras-chave:acoustic communication, Cockroach, courtship, Elliptorhina chopardi, frequency modulations, two-voice system
Abstract:

Male cockroaches of the species Elliptorhina chopardi expel air through a pair of modified abdominal spiracles during courtship. This air expulsion simultaneously produces air and substrate-borne vibrations. We described and compared in details these two types of vibrations. Our analysis of the air-borne signals shows that males can produce three categories of signals with distinct temporal and frequency parameters. “Pure whistles” consist of two independent harmonic series fast frequency modulated with independent harmonics that can cross each other. “Noisy whistles” also possess two independent voices but include a noisy broad-band frequency part in the middle. Hiss sounds are more noise-like, being made of a broad-band frequency spectrum. All three call types are unusually high in dominant frequency (>5 kHz) for cockroaches. The substrate-borne signals are categorised similarly. Some harmonics of the substrate-borne signals were filtered out, however, making the acoustic energy centered on fewer frequency bands. Our analysis shows that cockroach signals are complex, with fast frequency modulations and two distinct voices. These results also readdress the question of what system could potentially receive and decode the information contained within such complex sounds.

URL:http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00114-006-0135-9
DOI:10.1007/s00114-006-0135-9
Short Title:Naturwissenschaften
BioAcoustica ID: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith