Vol. 47 No. 1, 2008
Variation in the Acoustic Properties of the Calling Songs of
Cicada barbara and C. orni (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) at the Individual and
Population Levels
Sofia
G. Seabra*, Genage André, and José A. Quartau
Centro
de Biologia Ambiental and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de
Ciências de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Sofia G. Seabra,
Genage André, and José A. Quartau (2008) W.Variation in the time and frequency
properties of the calling songs of 2 Cicada species, C. barbara and C.
orni, was examined at the individual and population levels.
Individual males were recorded in the field at different times of day,
and within-individual coefficients of variation were generally lower
than among-individual variation. The effect of temperature on
calling song properties was also assessed, with time variables being
more consistently related to temperature than the frequency
variable. No significant differences among years within
populations were detected in most populations. Studies of female
preference in these species are necessary to assess the biological
significance of the detected variation in the properties of these
calling songs.
Key words: Cicada
barbara, Cicada orni, Cicadas, Insects, Song.
*Correspondence: E-mail:sgseabra@fc.ul.pt

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