Temperature Coupling and ‘Trade-Off’ Phenomena in the Acoustic Communication System of the Cricket, Gryllus Bimaculatus de Geer (GRYLLIDAE)

Abstract

The effects of ambient temperature on stridulation (calling song) in males, and phonotaxis in females, were studied in the chirping cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus. In the male, temperature had the greatest effect on the syllable and chirp repetition rates. Both increased linearly with increasing temperature between 15 and 24°C; there was no effect of temperature on these temporal properties at higher temperatures (24-33°C). Syllable duration, number of syllables per chirp and dominant frequency remained relatively unaffected by changes in temperature. Stridulation and phonotaxis were temperature coupled because the female at 15, 22 and 30°C responded best to synthetic songs with syllable and chirp repetition rates that matched these temporal properties of the male’s calling song at the same temperature. The phonotactic behaviour of the female indicates that certain combinations of temporal properties in the male’s calling Song improve the female’s response at different temperatures, suggesting the presence of ‘trade-off’ phenomena in phonotaxis and pattern recognition in G. bimaculatus.