The Air-puff Evoked Escape Behavior of the Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus and its Compensational Recovery after Cercal Ablations

The air-puff evoked escape behavior of the cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, was investigated. Crickets almost always escaped away from the stimulus source. In an optimal condition, the mean escape direction was 162° opposite to the stimulus source. Stronger (higher velocity) air-puff elicited an escape in larger number of crickets. However, the escape direction became incorrect when the stimulus was too strong. Crickets with bilateral cercal ablation did not show any escape to an air-puff, while unilaterally ablated ones did respond to the same stimulus with an escape. However, the response rate of animals with unilateral cercal ablation was lower than that in intact animals. Although the mean escape direction of the crickets with unilateral cercal ablation was still opposite to the stimulus source, the direction was not so accurate as in intact animals. About 6 days after the unilateral cercal ablation, the response rate showed a statistically significant compensational recovery. On the other hand, 14 days were necessary for the recovery of the escape direction. Information which regulating the response rate and the behavioral orientation is likely being processed in different neural pathways.