Evolution of ultrasonic acoustics
Ultrasound production by an ultrasound deaf insect
In fitting with the overall themes of his PhD thesis, our university funded PhD student Charlie is researching the functional and mechanical features of the bush cricket ear that have permitted the evolution of ultrasonic hearing – to better understand the overall ear function and how the insect cochlea has formed. In this investigation, he has been using a relict model family – the Prophalangopsids. This family of insects shares an ancient evolutionary history with bush crickets, and have very simple ears. By using these species, we can understand how the complex crista acustica has evolved to be so similar to the mammalian cochlea. In recent developments, this element of the project has also discovered the use of ultrasonic sounds as an anti-predator defence in this ancient family, which we now believe evolved before the ability to actually hear ultrasound. This sound, generated by the ‘Ander’s organ’ likely evolved to startle early terrestrial predators. This publication can be read for free here. |
Anders organ of Cyphoderris monstrosa (Prophalangopsidae). A, adult female stridulatory file; B, adult male stridulatory file; C, juvenile male stridulatory file.
3D reconstructed morphology of the Ander’s organ of an adult female; highlighting the anatomy of the sub-organ cavities
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This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.(Grant agreement ERC CoG 2017 773067) |
