Phonotaxis of male field crickets, Gryllus bimaculatus, to conspecific calling song

In many cricket species, individuals fill sex-specific mating roles. For mate attraction in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, males remain stationary and produce a species-specific calling song (senders) whilst females detect this signal and move towards it in a behaviour known as phonotaxis (receivers). Male G. bimaculatus have been observed responding to the calling song of conspecifics, and phonotaxis has anecdotally been reported for males in related species. Here, we aimed to quantify the tuning and intensity of male phonotaxis behaviour in G. bimaculatus by using a trackball system and established acoustic paradigms, and by comparing responses to typical female phonotaxis. Data captured shows the distanced walked (absolutle and relative) toward active speakers playing one of two main experimental paradigms; a syllable repetition interval paradigm (with different pulse periods used between chirps) and a chirp pattern paradigm (with different pulse patterns within a chirp). Data on age and date were also collected.

在诸多蟋蟀物种中，个体均承担性别特异性的交配角色。以双斑蟋（Gryllus bimaculatus）的野外求偶过程为例，雄虫会保持静止并发出物种特异性的鸣唱信号（作为信号发送者），而雌虫则会感知该信号并朝向声源移动，该行为被称为趋声性（phonotaxis，即信号接收者）。已有研究观察到双斑蟋雄虫会响应同种个体的鸣唱信号，且相关类群雄性的趋声行为也曾有轶事性报道。本研究旨在通过轨迹球系统（trackball system）与成熟声学实验范式（acoustic paradigms），对比双斑蟋雄虫与雌虫的典型趋声行为，以量化雄性趋声行为的调谐特性与响应强度。所采集的数据显示，受试雄虫会朝向播放两种核心实验范式的有源扬声器移动一定距离，涵盖绝对移动距离与相对移动距离：其一为音节重复间隔范式（啾鸣间采用不同脉冲周期），其二为啾鸣模式范式（单啾鸣内采用不同脉冲模式）。研究同时采集了受试个体的日龄与实验日期相关数据。