Abstract:
Matings systems using signals for sexual communication have been studied
extensively and results commonly suggest that females use these signals for locating
males, species-identification, and mate choice. Although numerous mating systems
employ multiple signals, research has generally focused on long-range signals perhaps
due to their prominence and ease of study. This study focused on the short-range
acoustic courtship song of crickets. The results presented here suggest this signal is
under selection by female choice. Females mated preferentially with males having
shorter silences between the two types of ticks within the song. The length of these
silences (Gap 1) was correlated with male condition such that males having long
silences were significantly lower in mass with respect to body size when compared to
males having short silences. Both Gap 1 length and male condition were significantly
repeatable within males over time suggesting the possibility these traits have a genetic
basis. This study is the first empirical study to test female preferences within the natural
variation of the courtship song. It now appears, at least in crickets, that both the longand
short-range signals of a multi-signal mating system may contribute to male mating
success.
