@article {57967, title = {Are terrestrial isopods able to use stridulation and vibrational communication as forms of intra and interspecific signaling and defense strategies as insects do? A preliminary study in Armadillo officinalis}, year = {2020}, abstract = {

The capability of producing sounds and vibrations is well known in insects and is thought to be a form of intra- and interspecific communication. Sounds and vibrations are used and modulated for several aims such as interacting with conspecifics, getting information from the environment, and defending against predators. This phenomenon is less known but also present in other arthropods, including a few roller-type terrestrial isopods. In this study, we used a Y-shape test apparatus to investigate the behavior of adult individuals of Armadillo officinalis Dum\éril, 1816 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) when exposed to two particular vibrational stimuli, namely species-specific stridulations and non-specific substrate-borne vibrations. Our results showed that adults of A. officinalis significantly react to the presence of both types of vibrational stimuli, by moving away from the vibrational source as if they experienced these vibrations as a sign of danger or disturbance. A. officinalis can produce stridulations only when it rolls into a ball during the so-called conglobation, a possible defense mechanism against predators. Stridulation might thus be a secondary form of defense used during conglobation to deter a predator following contact with it and might be experienced as an alert by conspecifics nearby. The high sensitivity to non-specific substrate-borne vibrations might provide A. officinalis with the possibility to anticipate dangers and adverse conditions, giving it a better chance of survival.

}, keywords = {biotremology, Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea, insects, vibrational communication}, doi = {10.1007/s00114-019-1656-3}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00114-019-1656-3}, author = {Cividini, Sofia and Sfenthourakis, Spyros and Montesanto, Giuseppe} } @article {53306, title = {Substrate-Borne Vibration Mediates Intrasexual Agonism in the New Zealand Cook Strait Giant Weta (Deinacrida rugosa)}, journal = {Journal of Insect Behavior}, year = {2018}, month = {Dec-11-2018}, abstract = {

Substrate-borne vibrational communication is a common mode of information transfer in many invertebrate groups, with vibration serving as both primary and secondary signal channels in Orthopterans. The Cook Strait giant weta, Deinacrida rugosa (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae), is an endangered New Zealand insect whose communication system has not been previously described. After field observations of intraspecific interactions in D. rugosa provided preliminary evidence for substrate-borne vibrational communication in the species, we sought to identify the following: vibrational signal structure, the mechanism of signal production, whether signal production is a sexually dimorphic trait, whether substrate-borne signals encode information regarding sender size, the primary social context in which vibration is utilized and finally, the function of vibrational signaling in the species. We used laser Doppler vibrometry to show that D. rugosa males produce low frequency (DF\ =\ 37.00\ \±\ 1.63 Hz) substrate-borne vibrations through dorso-ventral tremulation. Rarely produced by females, male signals appear to target rivals while both are in the direct physical presence of a female. Tremulatory responses to playbacks were only produced by males in male-male-female trial contexts, and neither sex exhibited walking vibrotaxis to playback signals, indicating that substrate-borne vibrational signals are not likely a component of the courtship repertoire. While we found that vibrational signal structure was not closely related to signaler size, males that initiated male-male signaling bouts held a significant advantage in contests.

}, keywords = {Agonism, Deinacrida rugosa, giant weta, seismic signals, substrate-borne signals, vibrational communication}, issn = {0892-7553}, doi = {10.1007/s10905-018-9700-2}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10905-018-9700-2}, author = {Howard, Daniel R. and Schmidt, Ashley P. and Hall, Carrie L. and Mason, Andrew C.} } @article {40441, title = {Neuroanatomy of the complex tibial organ of Stenopelmatus (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Stenopelmatidae)}, journal = {The Journal of Comparative Neurology}, volume = {511}, year = {2008}, month = {Jan-11-2008}, pages = {81 - 91}, abstract = {

Stenopelmatidae (or \“Jerusalem crickets\”) belong to the atympanate Ensifera, lacking hearing organs in the foreleg tibiae. Their phylogenetic position is controversial, either as a taxon in Tettigonioidea or within the clade of Gryllacridoidea. Similarly, the origin of tibial auditory systems in Ensifera is controversial. Therefore, we investigated the neuronal structures of the proximal tibiae of Stenopelmatus spec. with the hypothesis that internal sensory structures are similar to those in tympanate Ensifera. In Stenopelmatus the complex tibial organ consists of three neuronal parts: the subgenual organ, the intermediate organ, and a third part with linearly arranged neurons. This tripartite organization is also found in tympanate Ensifera, verifying our hypothesis. The third part of the sense organ found in Stenopelmatus can be regarded by the criterion of position as homologous to auditory receptors of hearing Tettigonioidea. This crista acustica homolog is found serially in all thoracic leg pairs and contains 20 \± 2 chordotonal neurons in the foreleg. The tibial organ was shown to be responsive to vibration, with a broad threshold of about 0.06 ms\−2 in a frequency range from 100\–600 Hz. The central projection of tibial sensory neurons terminates into two equally sized lobes in the primary sensory neuropil, the medial ventral association center. The data are discussed comparatively to those of other Ensifera and mapped phylogenetically onto recently proposed phylogenies for Ensifera. The crista acustica homolog could represent a neuronal rudiment of a secondarily reduced ear, but neuronal features are also consistent with an evolutionary preadaptation.

}, keywords = {chordotonal organ, Ensifera, neuroanatomy, sensory evolution, Stenopelmatidae, vibrational communication}, issn = {00219967}, doi = {10.1002/cne.v511:110.1002/cne.21836}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/cne.v511\%3A1}, author = {Strau{\ss}, Johannes and Lakes-Harlan, Reinhard} } @article {40435, title = {Neuroanatomy and Physiology of the Complex Tibial Organ of an Atympanate Ensiferan, Ametrus tibialis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1888) (Gryllacrididae, Orthoptera) and Evolutionary Implications}, journal = {Brain, Behavior and Evolution}, volume = {71}, year = {2008}, month = {Jan-01-2008}, pages = {167 - 180}, abstract = {

We investigated the neuroanatomy and physiology of the complex tibial organ of an atympanate ensiferan, the Gryllacridid Ametrus tibialis. This represents the first analysis of internal mechanoceptors in Gryllacridids. The complex tibial organ is tripartite consisting of a subgenual organ, intermediate organ and a homologue organ to the crista acustica of tympanate ensiferan taxa of Tettigoniidae, Haglidae, and Anostostomatidae. The crista homologue contains 23 \± 2 receptor neurons in the foreleg. It is associated with the leg trachea and found serially in all three thoracic leg pairs. Central projections of the sensory nerve of the complex tibial organ bifurcate in two lobes in the prothoracic ganglion, which do not reach the midline. The axonal endings project into the mVAC, the main vibratory-auditory neuropile of Ensifera. Recordings of the tibial nerve show that the tibial organ is sensitive to vibrational stimuli with a minimum threshold of 0.02 to 0.05 ms\–2 at 200\–500 Hz, but rather insensitive to airborne sound. The main function of the tibial organ is therefore vibration sensing, although the specific function of the crista homologue remains unclear. The presence of the crista acustica homologue is interpreted in phylogenetic context. Because ensiferan phylogeny is unresolved, two alternative scenarios can be deduced: (a) the crista homologue is a precursor structure which was co-opted as an auditory system and represent a morphologically highly specialized structure before acquisition of its new function; (b) a previously functional tibial ear is evolutionary reduced but the neuronal structures are maintained. Based on comparison of neuroanatomical details, the crista acustica homologue of A. tibialis could present the neuronal complement of an ear evolutionary precursor structure, which was successively made sensitive to airborne sound by elaboration of cuticular tympana, auditory spiracle and trachea for sound propagation.

}, keywords = {Ametrus tibialis, auditory system, Ensifera, Gryllacrididae, hearing organ, neuroanatomy, vibrational communication}, issn = {0006-8977}, doi = {10.1159/000114405}, url = {http://www.karger.com/doi/10.1159/000114405}, author = {Strau{\ss}, Johannes and Lakes-Harlan, Reinhard} } @article {20059, title = {Vibration communication in orthopteroid insects (Orthoptera) from suborder Caelifera}, journal = {Moscow University Biological Sciences Bulletin}, volume = {64}, year = {2009}, month = {Jan-09-2009}, pages = {126 - 128}, abstract = {

A review of vibration communication in suborder Caelifera is made. The vibration communication channel is found in three superfamilies\—Tetrigoidea, Eumastacoidea and Acridoidea. The presence of vibration communication in Pyrgomorphoidea and Tridactyloidea is suggested. The data on vibration signals in superfamilies Pneumoroidea, Tanaoceroidea and Trigonopterygoidea are not known.

}, keywords = {Caelifera, Orthoptera, vibrational communication}, issn = {0096-3925}, doi = {10.3103/S0096392509030080}, url = {http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.3103/S0096392509030080}, author = {Benediktov, A. A.} }