Cori LaMere

Several insect species adopt a polygamous mating strategy in order to maximize reproductive success. In polygamous mating systems, males have to compete with one another to mate with females. To increase their chances of attracting a mate, male pacific field crickets, Teleogryllus oceanicus, utilize auditory sexual signals. The calling song is produced after a spermatophore (a capsule containing spermatozoa that is extruded by the male) is ready. The males then emit a quieter courtship song when the female makes contact. After copulation, which is determined by the successful transfer of a spermatophore, the male engages in guarding behavior to try to prevent the female from removing the spermatophore before the transfer of sperm is complete and to increase the likelihood of fertilization and reproductive success. Preliminary observations have shown that males produce a post-copulatory song, contradicting previous research that males call only when a spermatophore has been produced. To identify the characteristics of the post-copulatory song, we utilized normal winged males and females crickets from the Oahu population. They were first isolated in their penultimate instar. Then when they eclosed, they were further separated into individual cups. Following the first non-experimental mating (to ensure sexual maturity), the crickets were used in mating trials in which various observations were recorded. From our observations in preliminary trials, it was hypothesized that males who utilize a post-copulatory song will spend more time in proximity to the mated female. This is because the song is thought to have a similar, if not the same, function as the pre-copulatory song, which would result in a longer spermatophore retention time and increase the likelihood of fertilization. We aim to answer what the characteristics of the post-copulatory song are and how male calling song is being used in the post-copulatory song.