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Auditory lateralization in bushcrickets: a new dichotic paradigm
Jürgen Rheinlaender1, Jun-Xian Shen, Heiner Römer
1Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, 100101 Beijing, China.
Summary
Bushcrickets use precise sound localization for mating. Females accurately track male songs, even with subtle 1 dB sound differences, demonstrating remarkable auditory navigation.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Bioacoustics
- Neuroethology
Background:
- Bushcricket mating relies on male acoustic signals and female phonotaxis.
- Females exhibit high precision in tracking male calling songs in free sound fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the precision of female bushcrickets' phonotactic behavior.
- To determine the minimum binaural intensity difference (BID) required for sound source localization in Gampsocleis gratiosa.
Main Methods:
- Females were tested on a walking belt in a free sound field, tracking a speaker emitting male calling songs.
- A custom-built dichotic ear stimulation device with a 50 dB cross-talk barrier was used to present controlled BIDs.
- Neurophysiological data on ear directionality informed the calculation of BIDs at different stimulus angles.
Main Results:
- Females accurately tracked the sound source, deviating by only 10 cm.
- Accurate turns were observed with stimulus angles as small as 6-10 degrees.
- Females reliably turned towards the sound source with a 1 dB BID in the dichotic stimulation paradigm.
Conclusions:
- Gampsocleis gratiosa females possess highly sensitive auditory systems for phonotaxis.
- Small interaural intensity differences (as low as 1 dB) are sufficient for precise sound source localization in this species.
- This auditory sensitivity is crucial for successful mate localization under natural conditions.