Evolution of acoustical communication in insects

在野外蟋蟀中，雄性蟋蟀会从远处吸引雌性蟋蟀。但是，呼唤的雄虫也会吸引寄生蝇，Ormia ochracea，在呼唤的雄虫身上留下存款活蛆。 苍蝇幼虫在大约7天内吃掉蟋蟀。 雄性蟋蟀更大声或更频繁的叫声会吸引更多的雌性蟋蟀，但也会吸引更多的寄生蝇。 本文报道了G.得克萨斯人受到苍蝇的强烈影响。 例如，雄性蟋蟀经常在靠近鸣叫的雄性时保持沉默，在那里它们拦截被其他雄性的鸣叫吸引的雌性，即所谓的卫星行为。 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。 雄性G.得克萨斯蟋蟀也比雌蟋蟀年轻得多。 我们正在研究苍蝇对不同类型蟋蟀歌声的吸引率，不同种类蟋蟀作为宿主的地区的寄生水平，以及在不同苍蝇密度条件下雄性蟋蟀的繁殖和寿命。许多实验室现在正在扩展我们的研究，包括苍蝇听力的神经生物学，一些蟋蟀的歌声完全消失，以及利用苍蝇控制进口蟋蟀害虫。

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.