Variance in female responses to the fine structure of male song in the field cricket, Gryllus integer

Abstract

Although female mating preferences are a focus of current controversy, little detailed information exists on female preferences within natural populations. In the field cricket Gryllus integer, male calls attract sexually receptive females, and females preferentially move toward male calls with longer calling bouts (periods of calling containing no pause greater than 0.10 s in real time). This study investigated female preferences for other variables of the male song, including syllable period, chirp pause, and number of syllables per chirp. Male song was measured in the field to determine mean values for each variable in nature. Female preferences were determined using a locomotor-compensator device, on which females ran in response to sequential playbacks of synthesized male song. Mean female preferences corresponded roughly to mean male song variables. Nonetheless, females varied greatly in their responses to synthesized calls differing in syllable period, syllable number, and chirp pause. Moreover, individual females who were more selective for any one variable also tended to be more selective for others. These results show that females may differ from one another in their mating preferences and degrees of selectivity, even within a single population.