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Diversity of intersegmental auditory neurons in a bush cricket

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Abstract

Various auditory interneurons of the duetting bush cricket Ancistrura nigrovittata with axons ascending to the brain are presented. In this species, more intersegmental sound-activated neurons have been identified than in any other bush cricket so far, among them a new type of ascending neuron with posterior soma in the prothoracic ganglion (AN4). These interneurons show not only morphological differences in the prothoracic ganglion and the brain, but also respond differently to carrier frequencies, intensity and direction. As a set of neurons, they show graded differences for all of these parameters. A response type not described among intersegmental neurons of crickets and other bush crickets so far is found in the AN3 neuron with a tonic response, broad frequency tuning and little directional dependence. All neurons, with the exception of AN3, respond in a relatively similar manner to the temporal patterns of the male song: phasically to high syllable repetitions and rhythmically to low syllable repetitions. The strongest coupling to the temporal pattern is found in TN1. In contrast to behavior the neuronal responses depend little on syllable duration. AN4, AN5 and TN1 respond well to the female song. AN4 (at higher intensities) and TN1 respond well to a complete duet.

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Abbreviations

AN:

Ascending neuron

DN:

Descending neuron

SD:

Standard deviation

SE:

Standard error

TN:

T-shaped neuron

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Acknowledgments

We thank Klaus-Gerhard Heller and several members of the neurobiology department in Göttingen for help with capturing and rearing Ancistrura. Christian Heck, Matthias Schink and Markus Wölfel helped with morphological and physiological analysis. We thank Reinhard Lakes-Harlan for many discussions and Norbert Elsner for ongoing support. We also thank the referees for many detailed and helpful suggestions. Funded by the DFG Stu 189/1. The experiments comply with the “Principles of animal care”, publication No. 86-23, revised, 1985 of the National Institute of Health, and also with the current laws of Germany.

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  1. Jorge Molina

    Present address: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

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  1. Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie Abt. Neurobiologie, Berliner Str. 28, 37073, Göttingen, Germany

    Andreas Stumpner & Jorge Molina

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Correspondence to Andreas Stumpner.

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Stumpner, A., Molina, J. Diversity of intersegmental auditory neurons in a bush cricket. J Comp Physiol A 192, 1359–1376 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-006-0164-z

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