Habituation of the ultrasound-induced acoustic startle response in flying crickets.
The ultrasound-induced negative phonotactic response of tethered, flying Australian field crickets habituates to repeated stimuli. Using the magnitude of the metathoracic leg's swing during a series of ultrasonic stimuli as a measure of habituation, we show that: (1) the response declines exponentially; (2) the response recovers spontaneously; (3) repeated trials produce more rapid and stronger habituation; (4) successive stimuli presented more rapidly produce more rapid and stronger habituation; (5) a weaker stimulus intensity produces more rapid and stronger habituation; (6) the habituation shows stimulus generalization (i.e. the response is similar for different ultrasonic frequencies); (7) a novel stimulus produces dishabituation; and (8) the effect of the dishabituating stimulus habituates after repeated trials. These findings place habituation of cricket negative phonotaxis in the context described for habituation in mammals.
May
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ML
Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.
Hoy
R R
RR
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005260:Female; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000502:physiology*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology; D014465:Ultrasonics