Entomology Commons^™

Aphelocerus Thomasi, A New Species Of Checkered Beetle (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae) From Mexico, Jacques Rifkind

Insecta Mundi

Aphelocerus thomasi Rifkind, new species (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), is described from the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. This beetle is named for the late Michael C. Thomas, in recognition of his lifetime of contributions to the study of Coleoptera.

Aphelocerus Kirsch (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is a moderately speciose genus (approx. 66 species) of predaceous beetle, broadly distributed across Mexico, Central America, and South America, that was recently revised by Opitz (2005). The Mexican Aphelocerus fauna includes approximately 25 described species (Opitz 2005), and several undescribed species are known. Endemism appears to be common, particularly in the tropical and subtropical highlands. …

Dyslexia, A New Remarkable Genus Of Pleasing Fungus Beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae) From The Andes, Paul E. Skelley, Héctor Jaime Gasca-Álvarez

Insecta Mundi

Dyslexia Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez, new genus (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae: Erotylini), is described and illustrated. The genus is comprised of four new species, all described by Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez: D. belamyi, D. dathomirria, D. pulcricolor, and D. tomasi. The unique broad head structures of this genus are characterized and compared with other genera. Problems associated with the taxonomy of Erotylini are discussed.

Resumen. Se describe y se ilustra a Dyslexia Skelley y Gasca-Álvarez, nuevo género (Coleoptera: Erotyli­dae: Erotylinae: Erotylini). El género está formado por cuatro especies nuevas, todas descritas por …

New And Little Known Coleoptera (Silvanidae: Silvaninae) From Central And South America, David G. H. Halstead

Insecta Mundi

The following Silvaninae (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) are included: Synobius Sharp, 1899, with its spe­cies, Synobius lobicollis Sharp, 1899 and Synobius lobatus (Grouvelle, 1896); Neocorimus thomasi, new genus and new species; Austronausibius wagneri (Grouvelle) new combination, a species originally placed in Nau­sibius Lentz by Grouvelle (1913); a third species of Pensus Halstead, 1973, is described, Pensus hirtus new species, and a short key given for distinguishing it from the already known species, Pensus gilae (Casey) and Pensus guatemalenus (Sharp); also Coccidotrophus Schwarz and Barber, 1921, including Coccidotrophus socialis Schwarz and Barber, 1921, Coccidotrophus cordiae Barber, 1928, Coccidotrophus wheeleri …

In Memoriam: Michael C. Thomas. May 5, 1948–October 4, 2019, Paul E. Skelley, J. H. Frank

Insecta Mundi

We honor the life and accomplishments of Michael C. Thomas with a short narrative of his professional life along with appendices listing his scientific artwork, bibliography and patronyms. This paper is the first of a Festschrift with contributed remembrances and separate papers honoring him with additional patronyms.

This and the following set of papers published in Insecta Mundi are dedicated to Michael C. Thomas, as tribute and thanks from a small number of those he mentored or assisted throughout his life. Mike’s contributions to the study of beetles and as a member of the Insecta Mundi Editorial Board, editing and …

Phyllobaenus Thomasi And P. Turnbowi, Two New Species From Mexico And Belize (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Hydnocerinae: Hydnocerini), John M. Leavengood, Jr.

Insecta Mundi

The two new species Phyllobaenus thomasi (Campeche, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo and Yucatán, Mexico, and Belize) and P. turnbowi (San Luis Potosi, Mexico), are described (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Hydnocerinae: Hydnocerini). The primary types are photographed and intrageneric relationships of the species are discussed.

Recent nomenclatural and descriptive work by Leavengood (2014), Leavengood and Garner (2014), Barr (2018) and Leavengood and Rifkind (2020) have made changes to the approximately 120 described species of New World Hydnocerini (i.e., Phyllobaenus Dejean, Isohydnocera Chapin and Wolcottia Chapin). Over 100 of these species comprise the genus Phyllobaenus. Mexico and Central America are home to about half …

A New Species Of Euxestoxenus Arrow (Coleoptera: Euxestidae) From Thailand, Adam Ślipiński

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Euxestoxenus Arrow (Coleoptera: Euxestidae), E. thomasi Ślipiński, is described from northern Thailand. The species differs from all Oriental and most of African species of Euxestoxenus by a 10-segmented antenna and glabrous, polished dorsum.

Euxestidae is a small and poorly known family of Coccinelloidea that currently includes 11 genera and about 70 species distributed mostly in the Old-World tropics and subtropics but extending into temperate areas of North America and Australia (Ślipiński 1990). The biology of the Euxestidae is mostly unknown but it appears that all species are fungivores, commonly found in rotten wood, forest litter, in …

Michyrus, A New Genus Of Pleasing Fungus Beetles With Coarsely Faceted Eyes (Coleoptera: Erotylidae), Paul E. Skelley, Héctor Jaime Gasca-Álvarez

Insecta Mundi

Michyrus Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez, new genus, is a Neotropical Tritomini (Coleoptera: Ero­tylidae: Erotylinae) with many unusual characters, whose relationships are unclear. Two new species are described: M. thomasi Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez and M. yvineci Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez.

Resumen. Michyrus Skelley y Gasca-Álvarez, nuevo género, es un Tritomini Neotropical (Coleoptera: Ero­tylidae: Erotylinae: Tritomini) con muchos estados de carácter inusuales, cuyas relaciones no están claras. Se describen dos nuevas especies: M. thomasi Skelley y Gasca-Álvarez y M. yvineci Skelley y Gasca-Álvarez.

A resurgence of publications on foundational faunal works, descriptive and revisionary taxonomy, and nomen­clatural issues within the new …

A New Species Of Ataenius Harold (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) From The Southeastern United States, With A Lectotype Designation, Kyle E. Schnepp, Krystal L. Ashman

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Ataenius Harold, Ataenius thomasi Schnepp and Ashman (Coleoptera: Scara­baeidae: Aphodiinae), from Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, U.S.A. is described. The lectotype for Ataenius brevis Fall is designated.

In the United States and Canada the genus Ataenius Harold (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) contains 46 species (Stebnicka 2007; Smith 2009). The most recent faunal review of this genus in these countries was completed by Cartwright (1974). However, several species in that paper have been moved to other genera or syn­onymized (Stebnicka 2007). Stebnicka and Lago (2005) provide a key and catalog to the Ataenius strigatus group. Specimens of a putative …

Two New Species Of Pharaxonotha Reitter Among The Early-Diverging Lineages, With A Key To The Species Of The Genus (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae), Paul E. Skelley, William Tang

Insecta Mundi

Two species of the early-diverging lineages of Pharaxonotha Reitter (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae) are described: Pharaxonotha taylori Skelley and Tang, new species, and Pharaxonotha thomasi Skelley and Tang, new species. A new key to described species of Pharaxonotha, based on previously unused characters, is presented.

In recent phylogenetic analyses of beetle diversity based on a large nuclear data set (McKenna et al. 2019) and on nuclear and mitochondrial legacy loci (Powell, pers. comm. 2020), the New World genus Pharaxonotha Reitter (Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae) was shown to be sister to all remaining Erotylidae in a clade comprised of the Erotylidae+Phytophaga, …

Ogre-Faced, Net-Casting Spiders Use Auditory Cues To Detect Airborne Prey, Jay A. Stafstrom, Gil Menda, Eya I. Nitzany, Eileen A. Hebets, Ronald R. Hoy

Eileen Hebets Publications

Prey-capture behavior among spiders varies greatly from passive entrapment in webs to running down prey items on foot. Somewhere in the middle are the ogre-faced, net-casting spiders (Deinopidae: Deinopis) that actively capture prey while being suspended within a frame web. Using a net held between their front four legs, these spiders lunge downward to ensnare prey from off the ground beneath them. This “forward strike” is sensorially mediated by a massive pair of hypersensitive, night-vision eyes. Deinopids can also intercept flying insects with a “backward strike,” a ballistically rapid, overhead back-twist, that seems not to rely on visual cues. Past …

Primer Registro Del Pequeño Escarabajo De La Colmena Aethina Tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) En Colmenas De Abejas Africanizadas En Guatemala, José Francisco García Ochaeta

Insecta Mundi

Se registra por primera vez la presencia del pequeño escarabajo de la colmena (PEC), Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), en colmenas de abejas africanizadas en el departamento de Petén, Guatemala, alimentándose de miel y polen. Se presenta información básica sobre la especie, su distribución conocida actual e ilustraciones para ayudar en su identificación.

The presence of the small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), is recorded for the first time in Africanized beehives from Petén department, Guatemala, feeding on honey and pollen. Basic information about the species, including its currently known distribution, and illustrations, are presented to aid …

Sobre El Estatus Taxonómico De Ectinogonia Darwini Waterhouse, 1913 Y Ectinogonia Angulicollis (Fairmaire Y Germain, 1858) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): Fijación Del Holotipo Por Monotipia, Designación De Lectotipo Y Descripción De Dos Nuevas De Ectinogonia (Ectinogonia) Spinola Del Norte De Chile, Cristian Pineda, José Mondaca

Insecta Mundi

Los ejemplares tipos de Ectinogonia darwini Waterhouse, 1913 y Psiloptera angulicollis Fairmaire y Germain, 1858 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), fueron localizados, estudiados y establecidos como holotipo por monotipia y lectotipo, respectivamente. Como las descripciones originales son ambiguas e incompletas, ambas especies son redescritas e ilustradas. Basados en estas nominaciones, y en el examen de ejemplares de Ectinogonia Spinola recolectados en el litoral de las provincias de Chañaral (Región de Atacama) y Antofagasta (Región de Antofagasta), y en la zona andina de la Provincia del Tamarugal (Región de Tarapacá), se describen dos nuevas especies del norte de Chile: E. superba Pineda y Mondaca, …

A Remarkable New Species Of Nothochodaeus Nikolajev From Sumatra (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae), M. J. Paulsen

Insecta Mundi

Nothochodaeus marsupialis Paulsen, new species (Coleoptera: Ochodaeidae), is described from Aceh Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. The species possesses deep abdominal cavities behind a shield-like central process, as well as rows of conical tubercles laterally on the second and third ventrites. These structures have not been found in any other members of the genus or family.

Two New Species Of Phyllophaga Of The Schizorhina Species Group From Cloud Forests Of Chiapas, México And Guatemala (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), Enio B. Cano

Insecta Mundi

Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) badbunnyi Cano new species, and Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) sechi Cano new species, of the Schizorhina species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), are described and illustrated from specimens collected at cloud forests between 1300-1750 m elevation of southeastern Chiapas, México and western Guatemala. A key to the Guatemalan and Chiapanecan species of Phyllophaga Harris, group Schizorhina, with dorsal finger-like projections of genital capsule, is provided.

Con base en especímenes colectados en bosques nubosos entre 1300 y 1750 m de altitud del sureste de Chiapas, México y del oeste de Guatemala, se describe y se ilustra a Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) badbunnyi Cano …

Nebline, November/December 2020

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Nebraska Extension Celebrates 20 Years of School Enrichment Nutrition Kits!

Recipe of the Month

Fun Winter Gardening Projects

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Be a Master Gardener!

Upcoming Green Industry Conferences

Helping Foster a Growth Mindset in Young Children

Pesticide Applicator Trainings

Landlord/Tenant Lease & Crop Budget Workshops

Extension News

4-H Announcements for enrolled 4-H'ers or 4-H volunteers

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Jodi Gabel

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Sarah Lanik-Frain and Mike Frain

2020 4-H Horse Awards

Extension Calendar

Outgoing 4-H Council Members

Youth Science Day for Homeschooled Youth

Ag Society Annual Election & Meeting

Super …

Women In Beekeeping: Impacts Of A Beekeeper Educational Program, Bridget Gross

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The decline in honey bee populations over the past two decades in the United States is alarming. The management provided by beekeepers to their honey bee colonies influences the survival of the colony. However, there is a lack of information on the experiences of beekeepers, specifically women beekeepers. The Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) in Nebraska hosted the “Honey Bees on the Farm: Connecting Women Beekeepers and Women Farmers for Environmental and Economic Benefit” program that provided informal, educational events to women beekeepers and landowners. Using a convergent mixed methods design, the first research question examines the impacts of the …

Two New Species Of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae), David C. Hawks

Insecta Mundi

Two new species of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) are described from Oaxaca and Queretaro, Mexico: C. pricei Hawks and C. robackeri Hawks.

A Review Of The Nearctic Species Of Fornax Laporte (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Macraulacini) With Descriptions Of Six New Species, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

The Nearctic species of Fornax Laporte are reviewed. Three species are redescribed, and six new species are described mainly from southeastern United States. The new species are F. appalachiensis , F. con­vexicollis, F. floridana, F. lucidicollis, F. melsheimeri and F. parallelicollis. A neotype is designated for Hylochares bicolor Melsheimer, with notes on its purpose. Each species is diagnosed and imaged. A new identification key is provided for all known species of Fornax present in the Nearctic region, replacing previous Nearctic species keys of Muona (2000) and Otto (2017).

New Species Of Trachyderini From Mexico And Central America (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), James E. Wappes, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Three new trachyderine species in the subtribe Trachyderina (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Ceram­bycinae: Trachyderini) are described: Entomosterna kovariki Wappes and Santos-Silva, new species, from Belize; Gortonia sumideroensis Wappes and Santos-Silva, new species, from Mexico (Chiapas); and Sphaeno­thecus vandenberghei Wappes and Santos-Silva, new species, from Nicaragua. A new key to Entomosterna species, and a previous Sphaenothecus key by Chemsak and Noguera (1998) is modified to include the new species, with both provided herein.

Redescripción De Eulachnesia Boteroi Monné Y Monné, 2015 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Hemilophini), Sergio Devesa

Insecta Mundi

Eulachnesia boteroi Monné y Monné, 2015 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Hemilophini) es redescrito, ilustrado dorsal, ventral y lateralmente, así como diversos detalles de su morfología. Es realizada la designación de un neotipo y la especie es registrada por primera vez para Ecuador. Adicionalmente, es propuesta una clave para la identificación de las especies del género.

Eulachnesia boteroi Monné and Monné, 2015 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Hemilophini) is redescribed and illustrated dorsally, ventrally and laterally, with several specific details. The designation of a neotype is made and the species is registered for the first time for Ecuador. Additionally, a key is proposed for …

Selenopidae (Arachnida: Araneae), A New Host Spider Family For The Spider Wasp Tachypompilus Ferrugineus (Say) (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pompilini), Frank E. Kurczewski, Rick C. West, Sarah C. Crews, N. R. Jenzen-Jones

Insecta Mundi

Four online photographs from Oaxaca, Mexico taken by N. R. Jenzen-Jones and posted on inaturalist.org reveal Selenops sp., probably S. mexicanus Keyserling (Arachnida: Araneae: Selenopidae), as a new host spider species, genus and family for the common and widespread American spider wasp Tachypompilus fer­rugineus (Say) (rusty spider wasp). The wasp transported the immobilized spider up an exterior stucco wall of a house, dorsal side upward, walking backwards for 3 m to her nest in a gap between the wooden planking and stucco wall beneath the roof, while grasping the femur of its right pedipalp with her mandibles.

Addendum And Update To Zidek (2020):Catalogue Of Species-Group Names Assigned To Copris Geoffroy, Coptodactyla Burmeister, Litocopris Waterhouse, Microcopris Balthasar, Paracopris Balthasar, Pseudocopris Ferreira, Pseudopedaria Felsche, Sinocopris Ochi, Kon And Bai, And Thyregis Blackburn (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Coprini), Jiri Zidek

Insecta Mundi

The catalogue of species-group names of nine coprine genera (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Coprini), published earlier this year, is updated and revised. Presented are species-group taxa overlooked in compiling the catalogue and new species-group taxa described in 2020, i.e. after the cut-off date of the catalogue.

Validation Of Chrysina Valentini Zubov And Ivshin, 2019 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) By Morphometric And Cuticular Reflectance Analyses, David C. Robacker, Karen M. Robacker, William C. Warfield

Insecta Mundi

Micromorphometric analyses of genital capsules and comparison of adult cuticular reflectance of two species of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) support the status of C. valentini Zubov and Ivshin, 2019 as a valid species. Compared with its closest relative C. optima (Bates, 1888), capsules of C. valentini are proportionately wider at the base of the parameres than those of C. optima, and taper toward the apex more abruptly. Reflectance of C. valentini under natural light appears slightly greenish while C. optima is uniformly reddish. The number of teeth on the protibia and the shape of the mesosternal process, characters …

A New Species Of Oncotophasma Rehn, 1904 (Phasmida: Diapheromeridae) From Colombia, Andres David Murcia, Oscar J. Cadena-Castañeda, Daniela Santos Martins Silva

Insecta Mundi

Abstract. Oncotophasma aurantiaviridiata Murcia, Cadena-Castañeda, and Silva new species (Phasmida: Diapheromeridae) from the Colombian Andes is described. The new species is distinguished by its peculiar coloration, which highlights greenish and orange tones. It is also the first record of the genus for the eastern slope of the Colombian Andes. The previous distribution recorded for the genus is the Chocó biogeographic region from Costa Rica to Colombia, with species being found in the Colombian areas of influence of this biogeographic region, such as the western and central slopes of the Andes.

Resumen. Se describe a Oncotophasma aurantiaviridiata Murcia, Cadena-Castañeda y …

Description Of The Male Of Euschistus (Euschistus) Baranowskii Eger And Bianchi (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Carpocorini), Joseph E. Eger Jr.

Insecta Mundi

Euschistus (Euschistus) baranowskii Eger and Bianchi (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Carpocorini) was described based on a single female specimen. In this paper, I describe the male of the spe­cies, primarily the genitalia, and compare it to other species of Euschistus (Euschistus) Dallas.

Abundance And Diversity Of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) As Affected By Grazing Management In The Nebraska Sandhills Ecosystem, Patrick M. Wagner, Gandura Omar Abagandura, Martha Mamo, Thomas Weissling, Ana Wingeyer, Jeffrey D. Bradshaw

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) serve a significant role in regulating ecosystem services on rangelands. However, the influence of grazing management on dung beetle communities remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate dung beetle abundance and diversity throughout the grazing season in the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion. Grazing treatments included: continuous grazing (CONT), low-stocking rotational grazing (LSR), high-stocking rotational grazing (HSR), and no grazing (NG). The abundance and diversity of dung beetles were measured in the 2014 and 2015 grazing seasons using dung-baited pitfall traps. Dung beetle abundance for each grazing treatment was characterized through four indices: peak …

Genomic Evidence Suggests Further Changes Of Butterfly Names, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Pal A. Opler, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Further genomic sequencing of butterflies by our research group expanding the coverage of species and specimens from different localities, coupled with genome-scale phylogenetic analysis and complemented by phenotypic considerations, suggests a number of changes to the names of butterflies, mostly those recorded from the United States and Canada. Here, we present evidence to support these changes. The changes are intended to make butterfly classification more internally consistent at the genus, subgenus and species levels. That is, considering all available evidence, we attempt to assign similar taxonomic ranks to the clades of comparable genetic differentiation, which on average is correlated with …

The Granulate Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Biological Parameters Under Controlled Conditions, Host Plants, And Distribution In The Americas, Alexandre Specht, Fernando M. S. Dias, Germán San Blas, Vânia F. Roque-Specht, Mirna M. Casagrande, Olaf H. H. Mielke, Débora Goulart Montezano, Izailda Barbosa Santos, Silvana Vieira De Paula Moraes, Thomas E. Hunt, Juaci V. Malaquias, Felipe A. D. Bonfin, Paulo V. M. Vieira

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Feltia subterranea (Fabricius), commonly known as the granulate cutworm, is a common species of owlet moths (Noctuidae) of major agricultural importance, widely distributed in Nearctic and Neotropical regions. This study was conducted to determine the species biological parameters, gather information about its larval host plants, and assess the agricultural significance of this species in the Americas. The viability of the egg, larval, pupal stages, and prepupal period was 98, 98, and 100%, respectively, under laboratory conditions. The average duration of the egg, larval, pupal stages, and prepupal period was 3, 17, 4, and 13 d, respectively. All laboratory-reared larvae developed …

Trypa-No! Contributes To The Elimination Of Gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis By Combining Tsetse Control With “Screen, Diagnose And Treat” Using Innovative Tools And Strategies, Joseph Mathu Ndung’U, Alain Boulangé, Albert Picado, Albert Mugenyi, Allan Mortensen, Andrew Hope, Brahim Guihini Mollo, Bruno Bucheton, Charles Wamboga, Charles Waiswa, Dramane Kaba, Enock Matovu, Fabrice Courtin, Gala Garrod, Geoffrey Gimonneau, Georgina Bingham, Hassane Mahamat Hassane, Inaki Tirados, Isabel Saldanha, Jacques Kabore, Jean Baptiste Rayaisse, Jean Mathieu Bart, Jessica Lingley, Johan Esterhuizen, Joshua Longbottom, Justin Pulford, Lingue Kouakou, Lassina Sanogo, Lucas Cunningham, Mamadou Camara, Mathurin Koffi, Michelle Stanton, Mike Lehane, Moise Saa Kagbadouno, Oumou Camara, Paul Bessell, Peka Mallaye, Philippe Solano, Richard Selby, Sophie Dunkley

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (g-HAT) is the chronic form of sleeping sickness caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in West and Central Africa, while Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense causes an acute form in eastern Africa. g-HAT is targeted for elimination as a public health problem by 2020 and 0 transmission by 2030 [1,2]. Control of g-HAT is largely based on identification and treatment of infected individuals, supplemented by control of the tsetse fly vectors [3]. There has been growing evidence that when both tsetse control and case identification activities are carried out simultaneously in the same geographies, elimination of the disease is …

Exploring A Novel Substrate-Borne Vibratory Signal In The Wolf Spider Schizocosa Floridana, Malcolm F. Rosenthal, Eileen Hebets, Rowan H. Mcginley, Cody Raiza, James Starrett, Lin Yan, Damian O. Elias

Eileen Hebets Publications

Animals communicate using a diversity of signals produced by a wide array of physical structures. Determining how a signal is produced provides key insights into signal evolution. Here, we examine a complex vibratory mating display produced by male Schizocosa floridana wolf spiders. This display contains three discrete substrate-borne acoustic components (known as “thumps”, “taps”, and “chirps”), each of which is anecdotally associated with the movement of a different body part (the pedipalps, legs, and abdomen respectively). In order to determine the method of production, we employ a combination of high-speed video/audio recordings and SEM imaging of possible sound-producing structures. Previous …