Stridulation by Jadera haematoloma (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae): Production Mechanism and Associated Behaviors

The Hemiptera displays a notable diversity of vibratory communication signals across its various families. Here we describe the substrate and airborne vibrations (sounds), the mechanism of production, and associated behaviors of Jadera haematoloma Herrich-Schaeffer, a member of the family Rhopalidae. Adult males and females both produce short, stereotyped sound bursts by anterior-posterior movement of abdominal tergites I and II against a stridulitrum located on the ventral surface of the metathoracic wing. Sound bursts are produced by a single adult male or female when physically touched by another adult, and are strongly associated with being crawled on by the approaching individual, but are not produced in response to contact with other arthropods or when pinched with forceps. The propensity to produce sounds when crawled upon decreases during the mating season. These sound bursts by J. haematoloma likely are communication signals. Rhopalidae has been significantly absent from the vibratory communication literature until now. Although the sounds are produced using a mechanism common to vibratory communication systems in closely related Heteropteran Hemiptera, the sounds in these other species function primarily in courtship or in mother-daughter interactions, which suggests that the functions of stridulation and the behavioral contexts have diversified in the Heteroptera.