Auditory processing in the black-sided meadow katydid Conocephalus nigropleurum (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

The auditory system of the tettigoniid, Conocephalus nigropleurum was examined using whole auditory nerve responses (averaged summed action potentials (SAPs) and intracellularly recorded single cells (receptor and interneurone) to pure tone stimuli and con- and heterospecific (C. brevipennis ) songs. The authors suggest that tonic interneuronal firing caused by the multiple singer chorused song of either species activates the initial stages of phonotaxis in receptive C. nigropleurum females but individual species recognition may depend at least partially on the discrimination of phonatome rates.