P-26 Effect of Male-exposure in Female's Phonotactic Response in Cricket Acheta Domesticus

Buller Hall

Syllable period-selective phonotaxis in female cricket Acheta domesticus as well as the corresponding response of neural elements (neurons that influence phonotaxis) have been the focus of multiple studies. These have reported individual variability in the responses. However, clear differences in responses based on age are typical for these females. The described behavioral and neuronal responses correlated, and ranged from selective to unselective. Young females were more likely to be selective. All of these studies used females raised in isolation. The current project investigates the possible influence in the phonotactic and neuronal responses of male-exposed females of different ages. It was proposed the presence of males would reduce phonotaxis by females to model calls. Preliminary results suggest there does not seem to be an age correlation in selective-phonotaxis exhibited by these females. Regardless of age, male-exposed females do not seem to discriminate between an attractive and unattractive model call. Additionally, intensity of the call may also affect syllable-period selective phonotaxis in these females. The possible effects of male exposure in the response of prothoracic auditory interneurons L3 are unknown. When presented with attractive calls only, L3s in young virgin females exhibit decrement (reduction in the number of action potentials to consecutive sound pulses within a chirp; and thus is syllable-period selective). L3s in old virgin females exhibit lower levels of decrement in their responses. Preliminary results suggest that regardless of age, L3s of male-exposed females show little decrement in response to auditory stimuli, irrespective of syllable period. Implications of results are discussed.