Summary
Studies were conducted on the effects of sublethal doses of an organophosphate, Parathion, a chlorinated hydrocarbon, Dieldrin, and a carbamate, Sevin, on the acoustical and sexual behavior of Acheta domesticus L. The LD10 of orally administered Parathion was 0.100 μg/g, that of Dieldrin was 0.066 μg/g, and that of Sevin was 0.330 μg/g. Parathion treated crickets were unable to emit pure calling, threat, or courtship songs. As a result of these changes in acoustic behavior, treated male crickets were unable to complete copulation.
Oral administration of both Dieldrin and Sevin resulted in complete cessation of singing in all specimens for 3 to 6 hours. Once singing resumed there was a significant increase in chirp rate and pulse rate of the calling song.
It is suggested that sublethal doses of Parathion act primaily on the peripheral neuromuscular system and the thoracic ganglia, whereas both Dieldrin and Sevin appear to act upon components of the brain, first in an inhibitory capacity and subsequently as excitants.
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Technical Paper No. 2712, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, Research suported in part by U. S. Public Health Service Grant No. 00040.
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Young, C.L., Stephen, W.P. The acoustical behavior of Acheta domesticus L. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) following sublethal doses of parathion, Dieldrin and Sevin. Oecologia 4, 143–162 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377098
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377098