02149nas a2200181   4500008004100000022001400041245016600055210006900221260001600290520145500306653002701761653003101788653001601819653002101835653003201856100002301888856005601911       2019                        eng d  a0340-759400aInnate releasing mechanisms and fixed action patterns: basic ethological concepts as drivers for neuroethological studies on acoustic communication in Orthoptera0 aInnate releasing mechanisms and fixed action patterns basic etho  cJul-01-20193 a<p>This review addresses the history of neuroethological studies on acoustic communication in insects. One objective is to reveal how basic ethological concepts developed in the 1930s, such as innate releasing mechanisms and fixed action patterns, have influenced the experimental and theoretical approaches to studying acoustic communication systems in Orthopteran insects. The idea of innateness of behaviors has directly fostered the search for central pattern generators that govern the stridulation patterns of crickets, katydids or grasshoppers. A central question pervading 50 years of research is how the essential match between signal features and receiver characteristics has evolved and is maintained during evolution. As in other disciplines, the tight interplay between technological developments and experimental and theoretical advances becomes evident throughout this review. While early neuroethological studies focused primarily on proximate questions such as the implementation of feature detectors or central pattern generators, later the interest shifted more towards ultimate questions. Orthoptera offer the advantage that both proximate and ultimate questions can be tackled in the same system. An important advance was the transition from laboratory studies under well-defined acoustic conditions to field studies that allowed to measure costs and benefits of acoustic signaling as well as constraints on song evolution.</p>
10aacoustic communication10aCentral pattern generators10aCoevolution10aGenetic coupling10aSender–receiver evolution1 aRonacher, Bernhard  uhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00359-018-01311-301911nas a2200193   4500008004100000022001400041245011100055210006900166260001600235520126000251653002701511653001601538653001801554653001601572653002501588100002601613700002301639856005501662       2018                        eng d  a0340-759400aThe impact of age and egg-laying cycle on female grasshoppers’ preference functions for acoustic signals0 aimpact of age and egglaying cycle on female grasshoppers prefere  cJan-12-20183 a<p>Female responsiveness and the shape of preference functions for male signal traits are important determinants for male mating success. We observed the responsiveness and the selectivity of virgin grasshopper females (Chorthippus biguttulus L.) for different features of males&rsquo; acoustic signals throughout their life span to detect possible influences of age on the females&rsquo; preference functions. In particular, we explored the hypothesis that the females may become less selective with increasing age and, therefore, would start to accept songs that are normally rejected. Such an age effect could relieve the selection pressure on male signal traits. In the majority of animals tested, the general responsiveness decreased with age although a few individuals exhibited an opposite trend. Contrary to the above expectation, there was no indication of a loss of selectivity in older females or an increased acceptance of normally unattractive song models. The timing within the oviposition cycle had a strong effect on responsiveness: near oviposition the general responsiveness increased and with it also the half width of the preference functions. However, highly unattractive song models remained unattractive also near oviposition.</p>
10aacoustic communication10aAge effects10aFemale choice10aOviposition10aPreference functions1 aAufderheide, Jennifer1 aRonacher, Bernhard  uhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00359-018-1307-8