Motor basis for vibrational communication in the treehopper, Umbonia crassicornis
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1
Binghamton University, Biological Sciences, United States
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2
Binghamton University, Mechanical Engineering, United States
Male and female treehoppers Umbonia crassicornis (Hemiptera, Membracidae) communicate by vibrational signals they send through branches of the trees on which they live. The calls consist of a frequency and amplitude modulated tonal component. The call is often accompanied by broadband, high frequency clicks. Clicks can also be recorded in the absence of the courtship call. (Cocroft and McNett,2006) We investigated the methods by which U. crassicornis generate their signals, using video recordings as well as anatomical and electrophysiological methods. Video recordings from calling males showed that at the start of a call, the abdomen is pulled toward the thorax, where it fits into a notch in the thoracic cuticle. The abdomen is then vibrated in the dorso-ventral plane to produce the call. Anatomical studies revealed that there are three pairs of muscles that are likely candidates for these movements. One pair is oriented dorso-ventrally, and its action would likely be responsible for the initial pull of the abdomen toward the thorax. Two muscle pairs cross the thoracico-abdominal border. Their contractions would move the abdomen ventrally as it pivots about a lateral hinge. Electrophysiological recordings from these muscles reveal activity that correlates with the vibrational signals recorded from the substrate where the insect sits.
In contrast, the click signals do not correlate with activity of the abdominal muscles. Instead, these appear to be are produced by the large metathoracic leg muscles. This conclusion is based on electrophysiological recordings from the muscles while clicks are recorded in the substrate, using an accelerometer. If the metathoracic legs are then prevented from contacting the substrate, the click on the substrate disappears, despite continuing activity from the muscle.
Treehoppers thus appear to produce their vibrational signals using two separate mechanisms: the tonal component is produced by abdominal movements in the dorsal-ventral plane, while the higher-frequency clicks are produced by the metathoracic legs.
Acknowledgements
Supported by NSF IOS 0820435. C. Cribbs was supported by an REU supplement
References
Cocroft, RB and McNett, GD (2006). Vibratory communication in treehoppers. In: “Insect Sounds and Communication: Physiology, Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution” eds. S. Drosopoulos and MF Claridge. pp 305-317 Boca Raton, FL. CRC Press
Keywords:
Courtship,
electromyogram,
treehopper,
vibrations
Conference:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation (see alternatives below as well)
Topic:
Motor Systems
Citation:
Miles
CI,
Allison
BE,
Su
Q and
Cribbs
C
(2012). Motor basis for vibrational communication in the treehopper, Umbonia crassicornis.
Conference Abstract:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00217
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Received:
30 Apr 2012;
Published Online:
07 Jul 2012.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Carol I Miles, Binghamton University, Biological Sciences, Binghamton, New York, 13902-6000, United States, cmiles@binghamton.edu