Multimodal duetting in katydids under bat predation risk: a winning strategy for both sexes

Abstract

Duetting is a behaviour observed in some animal species, in which both males and females participate in signalling to find mates. It may have evolved as an adaptation to reduce the costs associated with mate-finding behaviours, such as predation risk. Duetting systems allow estimation of sex-specific predation risks of signalling and searching in the same species, giving insights into the selective forces acting on these behaviours. Using an acoustic–vibratory duetting katydid, Onomarchus uninotatus , and its bat predator, Megaderma spasma , we estimated the sex-specific predation costs of different mate-finding behaviours, such as walking, flying and signalling, by conducting experiments with untethered live katydids and bats. We found that acoustic–vibratory duetting benefits both the sexes as a low-risk mate-finding strategy.