Acoustic Behavior--Neural and Comparative Bases

描述（由申请人提供）：我们的目标是了解昆虫听觉和交流的生物声学和神经行为基础背后的基本原理，特别是苍蝇中的声音定位，Ormia ochracea Bloengineers正在应用我们从Ormia学到的设计原理来构建用于助听器的微型硅基定向麦克风，这一策略被称为“仿生学”。“这促使我们考虑苍蝇的耳朵在噪音条件下的声学表现。耳朵的设计特点是在进化过程中形成的，包括增强的信噪比和方向灵敏度，同时保持高灵敏度。在奥尔米亚。生物力学系统和神经系统都具有创新的听觉时间适应性，这是值得研究的内在兴趣，并具有实际应用的意义。我们提出了一套行为实验，使用一种新的装置来测量：（1）掩蔽噪声降低趋声性的能力，（2）区分前后声源的能力，（3）听觉时间适应性的变化。（3）如何使用海拔线索来定位声音;（4）Ormia是否有超声启动的超声惊吓反应。我们提出了一系列的神经生理学研究Ormia的听觉系统，以确定：（1）在中枢神经系统的听觉中间神经元的方向特性;（2）在形成听觉中间神经元的方向反应的神经抑制的作用;（3）如何在听觉通路的方向信息整合与飞行相关的propnoceptive信号，以产生协调的运动，引导苍蝇向声源;（4）脑内多通道整合机制：当听觉和视觉信号以合作或竞争的方式出现时，我们拟研究跳蛛的基底通讯系统。这些蜘蛛以其奢华的视觉展示而闻名，这些展示与一组新发现的声学信号完美协调。这些蜘蛛的求偶行为将是一个理想的系统，多通道通信的神经行为学研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our goal is to understand the basic principles behind the bioacoustical and neurobehavioral bases of hearing and communication in insects, especially sound localization in the fly, Ormia ochracea Bloengineers are applying design principles we learned from Ormia to construct tiny, silicon-based directional microphones for hearing aids, a strategy known as "biomimicry." This has stimulated us to consider how the fly's ears perform acoustically under noisy conditions. The ears' design features, forged over evolutionary time, include enhanced signal-to-noise and directional sensitivity while maintaining high sensitivity. In Ormia. both biomechanical and neural systems possess innovative auditory adaptations for temporal processing that are worth investigating for their intrinsic interest, and that have implications for practical applications, as well.We propose a set of behavioral experiments using a new apparatus to measure: (1) The ability of masking noise to degrade phonotaxis; (2) The ability to discriminate front from back sound sources; (3) How elevational cues are used to localize sound; and (4) Whether Ormia has an ultrasound-initiated ultrasound startle response. We propose a set of neurophysiological studies in Ormia's auditory system to determine: (1) Directional properties of auditory interneurons in the CNS; (2) The role of neural inhibition in shaping the directional responses in auditory interneurons; (3) How directional information in auditory pathways is integrated with flight-related propnoceptive signals to produce coordinated movements which steer the fly toward a sound source; (4) Mechanisms of multi-modal integration in the brain: when auditory and visual signals are present in cooperation or in rivalry.We propose to investigate the substrate communication system of Salticid jumping spiders. These spiders are renowned for their extravagant visual displays which turn out to be perfectly coordinated with a newly-discovered set of acoustic signals. The courtship behavior of these spiders will be an ideal system for the neuroethological study of multi-modal communication.