Evolution of acoustical communication in insects

在蟋蟀中，鸣叫的雄性会从远处吸引雌性。但鸣叫的雄性也会吸引寄生蝇（Ormia ochracea），它们会把活的蛆放在鸣叫的雄性身上。苍蝇幼虫大约在7天内吞噬蟋蟀。雄蟋蟀更大声或更频繁的叫声会吸引更多的雌蟋蟀，但也会吸引更多的寄生蝇。棉铃虫的交配行为受到蝇类的强烈影响。例如，雄性蟋蟀经常在发出叫声的雄性蟋蟀附近保持沉默，因为它们会拦截被其他雄性蟋蟀的叫声吸引的雌性蟋蟀，这就是所谓的卫星行为。许多以前沉默的雄性在黎明前开始鸣叫，这是苍蝇不太活跃的时候。雄蟋蟀也比雌蟋蟀年轻得多。我们正在研究不同种类蟋蟀鸣叫对苍蝇的吸引率，不同种类蟋蟀寄主地区的寄生水平，以及不同苍蝇密度条件下雄蟋蟀的繁殖和寿命。许多实验室正在扩展我们的研究，包括苍蝇听力的神经生物学，一些蟋蟀完全丧失鸣叫，以及利用苍蝇控制进口蟋蟀害虫。我们还研究了马达加斯加嘶嘶蟑螂（Gromphadorhina portentosa）的声音交流。在这个物种中，雄性在受到打扰、打架和求爱时发出响亮的嘶嘶声。雄性发出嘶嘶声的强度与体型密切相关，我们正在研究雌性根据雄性发出的嘶嘶声来评价雄性作为伴侣的方式。该项目招收博士后、研究生、本科生和海外大学的合作者，为培养高素质人才做出贡献。

In field crickets, Gryllus texensis, calling males attract females from a distance. But calling males also attract parasitic flies, Ormia ochracea, that deposit living maggots on calling males.  Fly larvae devour the cricket in about 7 days.  Calling more loudly or more often by male crickets attracts more female cricket, but more parasitic flies are also attracted.  The mating behaviour of G. texensis has been strongly influenced by flies.  For example, male crickets often remain silent near calling males where they intercept females attracted by the calling of other males, so-called satellite behaviour.  Many previously silent males start calling just before dawn, a time when flies are less active.   Male G. texensis are also much younger than female crickets.  We are studying the rates of fly attraction to different types of cricket songs, the levels of parasitism in areas where different species of crickets are hosts, and the reproduction and lifespan of male crickets under different conditions of fly density. Many laboratories are now extending our studies including the neurobiology of fly hearing, complete loss of song in some crickets  and the use of flies to control imported cricket pests.We also study acoustical communication in Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, Gromphadorhina portentosa.  In this species males produce loud hisses when disturbed and when fighting and courting.  The intensity of male hisses is strongly correlated with body size and we are studying ways in which females evaluate males as mates based on their hisses.This program involves postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students and collaborators at overseas universities thus contributing to the education of highly qualified personnel.