Vibratory territorial signals in caterpillars of the poplar lutestring, Tethea or (Lepidoptera: Drepanidae)

摘要: Caterpillars of the poplar lutestring moth, Tethea or, construct leaf shelters that they defend against intruding conspecifics using a combination vibratory signals and physical aggression. Staged interactions between resident caterpillar introduced conspecific were recorded with video camera laser vibrometer. Residents crawl towards intruder perform three behav- iours: lateral hitting, pushing, mandible scraping. Vibrations caused by scraping result from repeatedly opened mandibles laterally surface in bouts lasting 1.16 ± 0.39 s, an average 4 1 scrapes per bout. We propose these function shelter defense for following reasons: Mandible are produced only residents; generated when is approached intruder; rate increases as approaches shelter; residents all trials retain their shelters, leaving within 127.9 104.3 s beginning trial. The evolutionary origins vibration-mediated territoriality caterpillars discussed.