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Effects of temperature on a moth auditory receptor

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Abstract

Measurements of the thoracic temperature and recordings of the spike activity of the most sensitive auditory receptor (A1 cell) were made in Empyreuma pugione (Arctiidae, Ctenuchinae). The temperature range tested (19–36 °C) is relevant for the behavior and ecology of this species. Experiments were performed during the hours of maximal flying activity in the wild: sunrise and sunset. The thoracic temperature during rest reflects that of the surrounding air; there is an increase of 3–4 °C immediately after ceasing free flying in the laboratory. The spike activity of the tympanic organ was recorded with a stainless-steelhook electrode placed beneath the tympanic nerve in the mesothorax. The A1 cell activity was studied without acoustic stimulation (spontaneous) and in response to 35-kHz acoustic pulses of 20, 40, or 100 ms duration. At all of these durations A1 cell response to saturating stimulus was analysed, while with 40-ms pulses different stimulus intensities were used (20–90 dB SPL in 10-dB steps). The number of action potentials per pulse, mean spike rate, maximal instantaneous discharge, and latency period depend strongly on air temperature, while the variation coefficients of the interspike intervals during the responses were not temperature dependent and vary non-monotonically with stimulus intensity. During responses to a saturating stimulus, the stimulus duration does not affect the activation energy, calculated from an Arrhenius plot, of different physiological features. Adaptation, studied in the responses to 100-ms pulses, is also temperature dependent. This phenomenon has two components, each of which shows different activation energies, suggesting a different membrane origin. High stimulus intensity (90 dB SPL) significantly affects the activation energy of the action potentials and mean spike rate, while the activation energy, of the maximal instantaneous discharge and latency period do not show this strong dependency. The spontaneous A1 cell spike rate varies with temperature, as does the value of the mode of the relative frequency distribution of the interspike interval. The activation energy of the spike rates measured at A1 cell responses to saturating stimuli is in good agreement with that described in amphibian innerear hair cells. It is suggested that this moth auditory receptor cell also has mechanosensitive protein channels.

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Abbreviations

AP/p:

action potentials per pulse

AP/s:

action potentials per second

CI:

confidence interval

E a :

activation energy

ISI:

interspike interval

SD:

standard deviation

VC:

variation coefficient

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología Animal y Humana, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, 10400, La Habana, Cuba

    F. Coro, M. Pérez & A. Machado

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  1. F. Coro
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  2. M. Pérez
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  3. A. Machado
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Coro, F., Pérez, M. & Machado, A. Effects of temperature on a moth auditory receptor. J Comp Physiol A 174, 517–525 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00191717

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