Phonotaxis during walking and flight: are differences in selectivity due to predation pressure?

Abstract

Female selectivity was tested in Tettigonia viridissima during two different phonotaxis situations; compensated walking and tethered flight. For two of the three temporal parameters that are important for call recognition in T. viridissima, selectivity was similar in the two situations. Selectivity for the third parameter (minimum interval duration between the double pulses) was much higher during walking than during flight: walking females responded only to stimuli with intervals of 28 ms or longer, while call models with intervals of 18 ms were attractive during flight. One interneuron (TN-1) is probably involved in filtering the minimum interval duration. As this neuron is also the most likely candidate for transmitting bat calls during flight, it is suggested that the selectivity differences between walking and flying might be due to the need for detecting predator signals during flight, when TN-1 would be occupied listening for bats. With TN-1 unavailable for song processing during flight, temporal selectivity for the minimum interval duration should be reduced, as was found here.