RESUMO
Both sexes of Phoenicoprocta capistrata have functional tymbals. The scanning electron microscopy revealed differences in the morphology of these organs in males and females. Male tymbals have a well-developed striated band, constituted by 21 +/- 2 regularly arranged striae whereas female tymbals lack a striated band. This type of sexual dimorphism is rare in Arctiidae. The recording of the sound produced by moths held by the wings revealed that while males produced trains of pulses organized in modulation cycles, females produced clicks at low repetition rate following very irregular patterns. Statistically, there are differences between sexes in terms of the duration of pulses, which were 355 +/- 24 micros in the case of males and 289 +/- 29 micros for females. The spectral characteristics of the pulses also show sexual dimorphism. Male pulses are more tuned (Q(10) = 5.2 +/- 0.5) than female pulses (Q (10) = 2.7 +/- 0.5) and have a higher best frequency (42 +/- 1 kHz vs. 29 +/- 2 kHz). To our knowledge, this is the first report on an arctiid moth showing sexual dimorphism in tymbal's anatomy that leads to a best frequency dimorphism. Males produce sound at mating attempts. The sounds recorded during mating are modulation cycles with the same spectral characteristics as those recorded when males are held by the wings. The morphological and acoustic features of female tymbals could indicate a process of degeneration and adaptation to conditions under which the emission of complex patterns is not necessary.
Assuntos
Mariposas/fisiologia , Caracteres Sexuais , Vocalização Animal/fisiologia , Acústica , Animais , Cuba , Feminino , Masculino , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Mariposas/ultraestrutura , Oscilometria , Comportamento Sexual Animal , Asas de Animais/fisiologiaRESUMO
Behavioral audiograms of Artibeus jamaicensis and Eptesicus fuscus are characterized by two threshold minima separated by a threshold maximum at 40 kHz, for A. jamaicensis, and 45 kHz, for E. fuscus [Koay, G., Heffner, H.E., Heffner R.S., 1997. Audiogram of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). Hear. Res. 105, 202-210; Heffner, R.S., Koay, G., Heffner H.E., 2003. Hearing in American leaf-nosed bats. III: Artibeus jamaicensis. Hear. Res. 184, 113-122.]. To investigate whether these characteristics are due to cochlear properties, we recorded distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and calculated DPOAE threshold curves. We found that in both species cochlear sensitivity, assessed by DPOAE recordings, does not show local threshold maxima. The DPOAE threshold curve calculated for A. jamaicensis reveals a broadly tuned minimum for frequencies between 20 and 50 kHz and the threshold curve of E. fuscus shows a broad sensitive area for frequencies between 15 and 60 kHz. In none of the two species any pronounced threshold irregularities were found. The characteristic pattern of a threshold maximum followed by a minimum observed in behavioral studies seems to be shaped by transfer characteristics of the outer ear and/or neuronal processing in the ascending auditory pathway rather than by cochlear mechanics.
Assuntos
Vias Auditivas/fisiologia , Limiar Auditivo/fisiologia , Quirópteros/fisiologia , Cóclea/fisiologia , Emissões Otoacústicas Espontâneas/fisiologia , Animais , Feminino , MasculinoRESUMO
Se presenta una revisión bibliográfica acerca del uso de dispositivos electroacústicos con supuesta acción repelente sobre las hembras de diferentes especies de mosquitos hematófagos. Se dan 15 referencias directas y 2 indirectas, en todas se concluye que estos dispositivos no protegen a quienes los portan de las picadas de los mosquitos. Se dan los nombres de 9 de los dispositivos probados, así como de 16 de las principales especies de mosquitos presentes en las pruebas de campo. Estas pruebas de campo se han realizado en condiciones ecológicas muy diferentes, que van desde alaska hasta el África Ecuatorial. También se menciona el efecto potencialmente dañino al hombre de los dispositivos que emiten frecuencias a alta intensidad.
A bibliographic review about the use of electroacustic devices with a supposed repellent action on the females of different species of hematophagous mosquitoes is presented. 15 direct references and 2 indirect ones are given, in which it is concluded that these devices do not protect those who have them from the stings of mosquitoes. The names of 9 of the tested devices as well as of 16 of the main species of mosquitoes present in the field tests are mentioned. These tests have been carried out in very different ecological conditions from Alaska to Equatorial Africa. It is also stressed that the high intensity ultrasonic frequencies emitted by these devices produces a potentially harmful effect on man.