Presentation Details
| Reversible plasticity in the communication system of the cricket Gryllus rubens. Oliver Beckers. Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA |
Abstract
In communication, signals and preferences have to match for the system to function and the population to reproduce. This tight relationship raises the question how communication systems can vary without disrupting the match. The cricket Gryllus rubens displays phenotypic plasticity in calls and preferences in response to the different temperatures experienced in the spring and fall. Here, I tested if the induced changes in male and female behaviors were permanent or reversible by changing the adult rearing temperature over an intermediate time frame (7 days) between 24ēC and 31ēC and vice versa. The pulse rate, the most important call character for female preferences, increased significantly after switching the temperature of males from 24ēC to 31ēC and decreased when switching it from 31ēC to 24ēC. Female preferences changed in parallel with the male signals after switching the temperature in either direction. This parallel plasticity keeps the communication system functional even if temperatures change during the breeding season and highlights how variation in communication systems can be introduced without breaking the tight match between signals and preferences.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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