Sexual pair-formation in a cicada mediated by acoustic behaviour of females and positive phonotaxis of males.

ABSTRACT: The functions of female song found in a few cicadas have rarely been studied. In the cicada Subpsaltria yangi we investigated the acoustic behaviour and signal structure of songs produced by females, the phonotaxis of males, and mate choice, as well as the selective pressure imposed on this species by predators. Pair-formation in S. yangi occurs when males signal, females respond, then males move to signaling females, which is opposite to that in most other cicadas where females move to calling males. Females only mate once and are sexually unreceptive after copulation. Most males mate once, but ~25% mate multiply. Females display little direct evidence of mate preference or choice of males, and all mate encounters led to a successful mating. Only males are attacked by a robber fly, Philon

SUBMITTER: Hou Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5526892 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature