Changes in the calling song parameters of the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus Deg. during ontogenesis

Females recognize a males age through the perception of males secondary sex characters, e.g. acoustic signals. Analysis of the of calling song structure in Gryllus crickets shows that while in some species a number of calling signal parameters change during ontogenesis [2, 3], in other species the signal structure remains intact [46]. Studies of calling signals in Gryllus bimaculatus Deg. yielded conflicting results: according to Simmons and Zuk [7], it is only the variation coefficient of pulse frequency that change with age, however, Verburgt et al. [8] asserted that most song parameters do change. Apparently, this discrepancy was due to the differences in the methods used (field or laboratory, respectively) and/or the use of different geographical populations of G. bimaculatus. The present study attempts to clarify this issue.