Sound Production and Reception in the Caribfly, Anastrepha Suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

Virgin female Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) with aristae removed failed to respond to recorded male "calling" song to the same extent as intact females. However, removal of aristae did not change female response to another sound known to modify behavior: the "precopulatory" song sung by mounted males. Thus, aristae are possibly not the sole organs of sound/vibration reception. Virgin females without aristae are attracted to male-produced pheromones and the aristae bear no evidence of chemosensilla. These organs appear to be involved only in mechanoreception. Apparently the male songs of A. suspensa are produced solely by wings because their sound pressure levels increase in proportion to the amount of wing surface, and there are no obvious morphological features that might make up a wing powered stridulatory mechanism. There is a slight sexual dimorphism in wing shape (male wings were more oval). Comparisons among tephritids with various wing shapes and courtship signals suggest that the dimorphism might be due to male wing modification for sound production.