Evolution of complex acoustic signals in drosophila species

Abstract

Males of most Drosophila species produce complex acoustic cues, so-called courtship songs, while pursuing a female. In most of the over 100 species studied so far (see the list of these species in Hoikkala, 2005), such cues are produced by wing vibration. Other mechanisms of song production include abdomen purring (Hoy, Hoikkala, & Kaneshiro, 1988) and rapid vibrations of the whole body (Ritchie & Gleason, 1995). The carrier frequency of songs produced through any of these actions ranges from 150 to 500 Hz. A hitherto unknown mechanism enables males of some Hawaiian species to generate songs of up to 15,000 Hz (Hoikkala, Hoy, & Kaneshiro, 1989).