日本研究人員日前發(fā)現，雄性亞洲玉米螟蛾向雌蛾求愛時,，通過摩擦翅膀和胸部的鱗粉發(fā)出具有“情歌”作用的微弱超聲波,。研究人員認為,，這一特點有助于防治這種對玉米有害的昆蟲,。
東京大學研究生院和日本森林綜合研究所的研究人員在新一期美國《國家科學院院刊》（PNAS）網絡版上報告說,，他們以廣泛分布于亞洲地區(qū)的玉米螟蛾為研究對象，用超高速照相機拍攝其交尾過程,，并對圖像加以分析,。
研究人員發(fā)現，雄蛾求愛時會豎起翅膀,，以每秒超過70次的頻率摩擦位于翅膀和胸部的一種形狀特殊的鱗粉，發(fā)出頻率為40千赫至60千赫的超聲波,。專家只在雄蛾的上述兩個部位發(fā)現了這種鱗粉,，鱗粉表面有排列規(guī)則的纖維狀紋理。如果除掉這種鱗粉,，雄蛾便不再能發(fā)出超聲波,。研究人員同時確認，位于鱗粉下方的薄膜起到“擴音器”的作用。
面對接近自己的雄蛾如此示愛,，雌蛾通常都會接受,，但如果雄蛾的鱗粉被除去，不能發(fā)出超聲波,，雌蛾則常常拒絕與其交尾,。不過，聽到人工合成的同樣超聲波后,，雌蛾會改變心意,，接受被除去鱗粉的雄蛾求愛。研究人員據此認為,，雄蛾依靠鱗粉發(fā)出的超聲波是向雌蛾求愛的“情歌”,。
研究人員還指出，雄蛾發(fā)出的超聲波只在周圍半徑約3厘米的范圍內才能被雌蛾“聽”到,，這可能是為了避免被情敵或天敵“偷聽”,。
亞洲玉米螟蛾的幼蟲會在玉米的幼嫩心葉、苞葉,、莖稈等部位取食,，使受害部位喪失功能，降低玉米產量,。日本研究人員認為,，如果能干擾這種雄蛾的“求愛”超聲波，妨礙雄蛾與雌蛾交尾,，就可能起到防治這種害蟲的作用,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PNAS，doi: 10.1073/pnas.0804056105,，Ryo Nakano, Takuma Takanashi, Sadahiro Tatsuki, and Yukio Ishikawa
Moths produce extremely quiet ultrasonic courtship songs by rubbing specialized scales
Ryo Nakano*, Niels Skals?, Takuma Takanashi?,§, Annemarie Surlykke?, Takuji Koike?, Keisuke Yoshida?, Hirotaka Maruyama‖, Sadahiro Tatsuki*, and Yukio Ishikawa*
+Author Affiliations
*Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;
Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark;
Department of Forest Entomology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan;
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Intelligent Systems, University of Electro-Communications, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan; and
‖Materials Science and Advanced Devices, Science and Technical Research Laboratories, Japan Broadcasting Corporation, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8510, Japan
Edited by John G. Hildebrand, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, and approved May 27, 2008 (received for review April 26, 2008)
Abstract
Insects have evolved a marked diversity of mechanisms to produce loud conspicuous sounds for efficient communication. However, the risk of eavesdropping by competitors and predators is high. Here, we describe a mechanism for producing extremely low-intensity ultrasonic songs (46 dB sound pressure level at 1 cm) adapted for private sexual communication in the Asian corn borer moth, Ostrinia furnacalis. During courtship, the male rubs specialized scales on the wing against those on the thorax to produce the songs, with the wing membrane underlying the scales possibly acting as a sound resonator. The male's song suppresses the escape behavior of the female, thereby increasing his mating success. Our discovery of extremely low-intensity ultrasonic communication may point to a whole undiscovered world of private communication, using “quiet” ultrasound.
