title: The process of pair formation mediated by substrate-borne vibrations in a small insect.
abstract: The ability to identify and locate conspecifics depends on reliable transfer of information between emitter and receiver. For a majority of plant-dwelling insects communicating with substrate-borne vibrations, localization of a potential partner may be a difficult task due to their small body size and complex transmission properties of plants. In the present study, we used the leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus as a model to investigate duetting and mate searching associated with pair formation. Studying these insects on a natural substrate, we showed that the spatio-temporal structure of a vibrational duet and the perceived intensity of partner's signals influence the mating behaviour. Identification, localization and courtship stages were each characterized by a specific duet structure. In particular, the duet structure differed in synchronization between male and female pulses, which enables identification of the partner, while the switch between behavioural stages was associated with the male-perceived intensity of vibrational signals. This suggests that males obtain the information about their distance from the female and optimize their strategy accordingly. More broadly, our results show that even in insects smaller than 1cm, vibrational signals provide reliable information needed to find a mating partner.
authors.affiliation: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all' Adige, Italy. Electronic address: jernej.polajnar@fmach.it.
authors.forename: Jernej
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polajnar
authors.affiliation: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all' Adige, Italy; Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all' Adige, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco Valerio
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Rossi Stacconi
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucchi
authors.affiliation: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all' Adige, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anfora
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Meta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virant-Doberlet
authors.affiliation: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all' Adige, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mazzoni
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D003380:Courtship; D005260:Female; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010152:Pair Bond; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration
keywords: Courtship; Identification; Localization; Mating behaviour; Scaphoideus titanus; Vibrational communication