Dissertation Research: Acoustic Communication in a Subsocial Invertebrate

9311109摩尔明确的沟通是已经构建了社会制度的人群的一个特征。尽管如此，个人在通信信号方面的差异对于建立和维持稳定的社会组织可能是重要的。然而，人们对声音通信中变异的遗传基础和后果知之甚少。黛博拉·C·克拉克女士的博士论文研究将试图阐明声音通信在亚社会无脊椎动物--端口格罗姆菲多尔纳雄性之间的竞争中所起的作用。这种蟑螂物种以其在雄性之间的激励性相互作用而闻名，涉及多样和复杂的行为，包括使用激励性嘶嘶声。利用行为学、声学和遗传学技术，克拉克女士将量化个体之间在相互作用期间发出嘶嘶声的频率、幅度、持续时间和时间模式的变化。克拉克女士将估计刺激性嘶嘶音特征的遗传方差和协方差，并将进行实验来研究嘶嘶音变异的功能。这项研究在研究亚社会无脊椎动物的社会竞争和声音交流方面是独一无二的。这些研究将解决与声音信号在通信中的演变和使用有关的重要问题。

9311109 Moore Unambiguous communication is a feature of populations that have structured social systems. Nonetheless, variation among individuals in their communication signals may be important in the establishment and maintenance of stable social organizations. However, the genetic basis and consequences of variation in acoustic communication are poorly understood. Ms. Deborah C. Clark's doctoral-dissertation research will attempt to clarify the role of acoustic communication in competition between males of a subsocial invertebrate, Gromphadorhina portentosa. This cockroach species is notable for its agonistic interactions among males, involving diverse and complex behavior including the use of agonistic hisses. Using behavioral, acoustic, and genetic techniques, Ms. Clark will quantify the variation among individuals in frequency, amplitude, duration, and temporal pattern of hisses occurring during interactions between males. Ms. Clark will estimate genetic variances and covariances for characteristics of agonistic hisses, and will conduct experiments to investigate the function of variation in hisses. This research is unique in investigating social competition and acoustic communication in a subsocial invertebrate. These studies will address important issues relevant to the evolution and use of acoustic signals in communication.