Evidence for sonic communication in the German cockroach (Dictyoptera : Blattellidae)
Back to previous page
| Authors: | Mistal, C; Takacs, S; Gries, G |
| Year: | 2000 |
| Journal: | Canadian Entomologist 132: 867-876 |
| Title: | Evidence for sonic communication in the German cockroach (Dictyoptera : Blattellidae) |
| Abstract: | Our objective was to test the hypothesis that late-instar nymph, male, and (or) female German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), use sonic signals for intraspecific communication. A digital-recording system was assembled that consisted of a computer equipped with data-acquisition hardware and software, microphones sensitive to sonic and ultrasonic frequencies, and speakers capable of emitting sonic and ultrasonic sound. Sound was repeatedly recorded from groups of five nymphs, five virgin males, or five virgin females. Click-type sounds were commonly present in recordings from nymphs, and consisted of sound pulses of about 10-ms duration and peak frequencies of 7, 9, 11, and 14 kHz. Similar "clicks" were found in recordings from females. In replicated binary choice arena bioassays with individual laboratory-reared insects, played-back "clicks" from nymphs or females or computer-generated artificial clicks attracted nymphs but not males or females. These results provide the first evidence that sonic signals are part of the complex B. germanica communication system. |
Please send suggestions for improving this publication database to
sass-support@sfu.ca.
Departmental members may update their publication list.