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Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)

Acoustically interacting males of the tropical katydid Mecopoda elongata synchronize their chirps imperfectly, so that one male calls consistently earlier in time than the other. In choice situations, females prefer the leader signal, and it has been suggested that a neuronal mechanism based on dire...

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Main Authors: Hashim, Rosli, Hartbauer, M., Siegert, M.E., Romer, H.
Format: Article
Published: 2011
Subjects:
QH301 Biology
Online Access:http://eprints.um.edu.my/8346/
http://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/23/3924.full.pdf
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spelling my.um.eprints.83462019-05-31T05:04:42Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/8346/ Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae) Hashim, Rosli Hartbauer, M. Siegert, M.E. Romer, H. QH301 Biology Acoustically interacting males of the tropical katydid Mecopoda elongata synchronize their chirps imperfectly, so that one male calls consistently earlier in time than the other. In choice situations, females prefer the leader signal, and it has been suggested that a neuronal mechanism based on directional hearing may be responsible for the asymmetric, stronger representation of the leader signal in receivers. Here, we investigated the potential mechanism in a pair of interneurons (TN1 neuron) of the afferent auditory pathway, known for its contralateral inhibitory input in directional hearing. In this interneuron, conspecific signals are reliably encoded under natural conditions, despite high background noise levels. Unilateral presentations of a conspecific chirp elicited a TN1 response where each suprathreshold syllable in the chirp was reliably copied in a phase-locked fashion. Two identical chirps broadcast with a 180 deg spatial separation resulted in a strong suppression of the response to the follower signal, when the time delay was 20 ms or more. Muting the ear on the leader side fully restored the response to the follower signal compared with unilateral controls. Time-intensity trading experiments, in which the disadvantage of the follower signal was traded against higher sound pressure levels, demonstrated the dominating influence of signal timing on the TN1 response, and this was especially pronounced at higher sound levels of the leader. These results support the hypothesis that the female preference for leader signals in M. elongata is the outcome of a sensory mechanism that originally evolved for directional hearing. 2011 Article PeerReviewed Hashim, Rosli and Hartbauer, M. and Siegert, M.E. and Romer, H. (2011) Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae). Journal of Experimental Biology, 214 (23). pp. 3924-3934. ISSN 0022-0949 http://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/23/3924.full.pdf 10.1242/jeb.057901
institution Universiti Malaya
building UM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaya
content_source UM Research Repository
url_provider http://eprints.um.edu.my/
topic QH301 Biology
spellingShingle QH301 Biology
Hashim, Rosli
Hartbauer, M.
Siegert, M.E.
Romer, H.
Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)
description Acoustically interacting males of the tropical katydid Mecopoda elongata synchronize their chirps imperfectly, so that one male calls consistently earlier in time than the other. In choice situations, females prefer the leader signal, and it has been suggested that a neuronal mechanism based on directional hearing may be responsible for the asymmetric, stronger representation of the leader signal in receivers. Here, we investigated the potential mechanism in a pair of interneurons (TN1 neuron) of the afferent auditory pathway, known for its contralateral inhibitory input in directional hearing. In this interneuron, conspecific signals are reliably encoded under natural conditions, despite high background noise levels. Unilateral presentations of a conspecific chirp elicited a TN1 response where each suprathreshold syllable in the chirp was reliably copied in a phase-locked fashion. Two identical chirps broadcast with a 180 deg spatial separation resulted in a strong suppression of the response to the follower signal, when the time delay was 20 ms or more. Muting the ear on the leader side fully restored the response to the follower signal compared with unilateral controls. Time-intensity trading experiments, in which the disadvantage of the follower signal was traded against higher sound pressure levels, demonstrated the dominating influence of signal timing on the TN1 response, and this was especially pronounced at higher sound levels of the leader. These results support the hypothesis that the female preference for leader signals in M. elongata is the outcome of a sensory mechanism that originally evolved for directional hearing.
format Article
author Hashim, Rosli
Hartbauer, M.
Siegert, M.E.
Romer, H.
author_facet Hashim, Rosli
Hartbauer, M.
Siegert, M.E.
Romer, H.
author_sort Hashim, Rosli
title Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)
title_short Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)
title_full Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)
title_fullStr Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)
title_full_unstemmed Neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)
title_sort neuronal correlates of a preference for leading signals in the synchronizing bushcricket mecopoda elongata (orthoptera, tettigoniidae)
publishDate 2011
url http://eprints.um.edu.my/8346/
http://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/23/3924.full.pdf
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score 13.211869

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