title: Extremely high frequency sensitivity in a 'simple' ear.
abstract: An evolutionary war is being played out between the bat, which uses ultrasonic calls to locate insect prey, and the moth, which uses microscale ears to listen for the approaching bat. While the highest known frequency of bat echolocation calls is 212 kHz, the upper limit of moth hearing is considered much lower. Here, we show that the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, is capable of hearing ultrasonic frequencies approaching 300 kHz; the highest frequency sensitivity of any animal. With auditory frequency sensitivity that is unprecedented in the animal kingdom, the greater wax moth is ready and armed for any echolocation call adaptations made by the bat in the on-going bat-moth evolutionary war.
authors: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. hannah.m.moir@gmail.com
authors: Hannah M
authors: HM
authors: Moir
authors: Joseph C
authors: JC
authors: Jackson
authors: James F C
authors: JF
authors: Windmill
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001307:Auditory Perception; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D004423:Ear / Q000502:physiology; D004455:Echolocation; D005260:Female; D020387:Food Chain; D006309:Hearing; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Galleria mellonella; bioacoustics; electrophysiology; hearing; laser Doppler vibrometry; tympanal organ
references: Curr Biol. 2005 Jul 12;15(13):R484-8
references: 16005275
references: J Exp Biol. 2007 Aug;210(Pt 15):2637-48
references: 17644678
references: Microsc Res Tech. 2004 Apr 15;63(6):315-37
references: 15252876
references: Biol Lett. 2013 May 08;9(4):20130241
references: 23658005
references: J Exp Biol. 2005 Nov;208(Pt 21):4159-65
references: 16244174
references: Physiol Rev. 1990 Jul;70(3):615-41
references: 2194220
references: Annu Rev Entomol. 1996;41:433-50
references: 15012336
references: Curr Biol. 2006 Dec 19;16(24):2418-23
references: 17174915